Western Visayas police officials appeal relief order

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., Police Regional Office 6 Regional Director. Photo from https://www.pnppro6.org/

MANILA, Philippines—The Regional Police Office (PRO6) of Eastern Visayas is appealing the relief order issued against some of its officials over alleged underreporting of the region’s crime statistics.

Police Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said PRO6 has no intention of distorting the region’s real crime picture, adding the alleged discrepancies in their crime report stemmed more from “confusion’’ on guidelines over procedures set by the higher headquarters.

Cruz said PRO6 was requesting for a reconsideration of the relief order issued by Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima against 13 police officials in Western Visayas for violating the strict command policy on accurate crime reporting.

The inspection of police blotters from January to June of the region’s police stations was conducted last September 9 to 20.

The PNP said that over 40 percent of cases during the first half of the year in police offices under Police Regional Office VI went unreported.

Cruz said data such as traffic incidents, as well as records violation on women and children’s rights were not included.

But while these weren’t included, Cruz said the records on traffic incidents were with the Directorate for Operations, while those concerning women and children were being brought to Women and Children Protection Center.

Cruz said they were not hiding the records.