Despite a series of daring broad daylight robbery in malls and a string of heinous crimes, particularly rape slay of children, the Philippine National Police has announced a better peace and order environment in 2012.
In a statement, the PNP cited crime statistics from the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) that says there is a 16.77% decline in the country’s Total Crime Volume recorded in January-March of year 2012, compared with the First Quarter 2011 crime record.
PNP Spokesperson Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said index crime incidents that made up 61.14 % of the Total Crime Volume dipped 19.86% from the 42,479 cases in the first quarter of 2011 to 34,043 cases in the first quarter of 2012.
Cruz explained that index crime cases are the valid indicators of the prevailing crime situation. Index crime includes crime against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injuries and rape; and crime against property such as robbery, theft, carnapping and cattle rustling.
Crime against persons dipped 20.24%, mostly attributed to the 20-25% drop in Homicide and Physical Injury cases, including 4.75% decline in Rape cases.
Crime against property showed similar significant drop in Robbery (-9.97%), Theft (-28.16%) and cattle-rustling (-27.21%) cases.
Non-index crimes decreased 11.40% from 24,420 cases in 2011 down to 21,637 cases in 2012.
The crime trend in the first quarter of 2012 showed similar double-digit decline in crime against persons and crime against property compared with the previous year’s record for the same 3-month period.
Cruz said if the 1st Quarter crime trend is an indication of the crime situation outlook in the months ahead, then we can certainly look forward to an improved peace and order situation towards the rest of the year.
Robbers recently targeted the delivery of money by armored vans at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. Last February, a robber and a security guard were both shot during an attempt to rob an armored van at the Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City.
In another incident, a businessman from Batangas who had just exchanged currency in Ermita, Manila was robbed and shot dead while he was caught in traffic.
Meanwhile, a string of rape-slay cases of children has also emerged, one of which involved two suspects who were killed by Manila policemen after allegedly grabbing their service firearms while in detention.
Cruz said the Crime Solution Efficiency in the first quarter of 2012 rose slightly by 8.54% indicating better police performance in solving crime cases.
The PNP said the improvement can be attributed to its programs such as Smart Policing Strategies and intensification of Anti-Criminality Campaigns thru the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS), Localized Anti-Criminality Action Plan, Strategic Planning and Performance Management, Police-Community Partnership and Increased Police Visibility, aside from the regular annual recruitment of police personnel.
