Police noted a significant rise in the number of crimes in Central Visayas in the first half of the year.
Total crime volume went up to 26,221 cases or a leap of of 109.2 percent for the period January to July compared to year ago levels.
The figures were reported in yesterday’s forum Talakayan sa Isyung Puli at Camp Sergio Osmena yesterday.
Police, however, clarified that the increase was due to a new method they were using in computing crime statistics.
For this year, crime incidents occurring in barangays were included in the report in order to get a total picture in the region, said Supt. Armando Radoc of the Investigation and Detection Management Division of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
PNP Director General Alan Purisima directed the use of this new metrics, Radoc said.
“He wants to know the exact picture of the peace and order situation of a certain place,” Radoc said.
Radoc stressed that the peace and order situation in Central Visayas remains manageable and that there was no drastic change.
The top three crimes committed from January to July were theft with 1,605 cases; robbery, 653; and physical injury 686
For index crimes, theft topped the list of crimes against property followed by robbery and carnapping.
Radoc said there was no such thing as crime-free society but that police are doing their best to keep the community peaceful with the public’s support.
He said the modus operandi of some foreign nationals was to fabricate stories of being robbed in order to secure a police incident report to claim insurance payments.
“Investigators should not quickly record these complaints in the blotter. They have to verify them first,” Radoc said.