Despite recorded lower crime rate, PNP expects surge as year ends

MANILA, Philippines—Despite a lower number of crimes in the first half of the year compared to last year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday that they are preparing for an expected upward trend in crimes as the year ends.

Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr, PNP Spokesman, told reporters Tuesday that crime volume had decreased 13 percent from January to June this year compared to last year.

An estimated 129,000 crimes were reported in 2011 while 113,000 crimes were recorded in 2012, Cerbo said.

“We are not saying that with the downward trend in crime volume, the PNP is resting already,” he said.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) had already identified 21 crime prone areas in Metro Manila, Cerbo said.

“The NCRPO had earlier issued a statement telling us there has been a positive effect from their anti-crime operations in these 21 crime prone areas,” he said.

Despite the noted downward trend, Cerbo said that they are preparing for the expected yearly increase in crimes during the holiday season.

“The increased human activity is like a magnet for criminals,” Cerbo said. “We want to prevent this upward trend during the ‘ber’ months,” he added referring to the last four month of the year.

Criminals are always looking to exploit any opportunity or any lapses in security before they strike, he said.

“We need the support of the force multipliers, barangay officials, local government units, and civic-minded organizations [to] create a broad united front against all forms of criminality and to create an effective weapon against a common enemy,” Cerbo said.