SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/15 October) — Surigao del Norte’s crime rate during the first two quarters of this year dropped by around 50 percent but rape cases increased by 33 percent compared to the same period last year, Police Provincial Director Ruben Delos Santos recently said.
De los Santos, who sounded ecstatic over the statistics, attributed the decrease in crime occurrences to increased crime solution efficiency initiated by the Surigao del Norte PNP.
While for the months of January to August last year, index crimes which included cases of murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, car thefts, cattle rustling, and non-index crimes involving violations of special laws tallied 1,984. For the same period this year, only 1,023 cases were recorded.
Among the index crimes, physical injury topped it all with 528 cases last year compared to only 166 cases for this year.
Theft ranked second at 334 cases last year while only 280 cases were recorded this year.
Rape cases, however, went up from 15 cases last year to 20 cases this year.
Non-index crimes last year totalled 930 cases as against 425 cases this year.
Delos Santos told MindaNews he was elated over the results, saying these reflected their serious campaign against criminality.
Newly installed PNP regional director Chief Superintendent Reynaldo S. Rafal lauded the PNP-Surigao del Norte Command for the accomplishment.
He said the PNP’s thrust to reduce crime incidents and effectively solve crimes in the Caraga Region has made a good start in Surigao del Norte. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)
