DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/03 Oct) — Before the September 21 kidnapping of three foreigners and a Filipina from a resort in the Island Garden City of Samal, the crime index in the region had gone down by 28.38%.
The crime index in the Davao Region went down by 28.38 percent with 13,476 incidents recorded between January and August this year, compared with last year’s 18,936 for the same period.
No kidnapping incident was recorded between January and August 2015.
Kidnappings are rare in the region comprising the four Davao provinces – Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental – and Compostela Valley and the cities of Davao, Digos, Panabo, Tagum, Island Garden City of Samal and Mati.
The recent kidnapping in Samal came 14 years after a foiled attempt in another resort.
The kidnappers, reportedly based outside Davao, have allegedly brought their victims to Sulu.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council last week cited reports indicating the kidnappers, reportedly allied with the Abu Sayyaf, had brought the victims to Sulu.
Records from the Police Regional Office (PNP) showed that physical injuries with 6,562 cases comprised the biggest share of the total crime index at 48.69 percent, lower than last year’s 8,606 for the same period.
At the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting at the Grand Men Seng Hotel on Wednesday, Senior Supt. Michael John Dubria, chief of Regional Operations and Plans Division of PRO 11, said the decrease can be attributed to the intensified implementation of its anti-criminality plan, “Lambat-Sibat.”
“Physical injury cases are mostly caused by vehicular accidents and a few cases are due to street fistfights, mauling and stabbing,” he said.
For theft and robbery, cases registered from January to August 2015 were 4,252, down by38.89 percent from 6,328 for the same period in 2014.
Records also show that crime solution and crime clearance efficiencies have improved.
The region’s crime solution efficiency improved by 65.91 percent while the crime clearance efficiency was at 73.057 percent.
“The PRO 11 continues the interventions and countermeasures implemented all throughout the region with the Lambat-Sibat as the main method to deter the occurences of criminality. This comprises, among others, checkpoint, Oplan Bakal, or Sita, (campaign against loose firearms) and the mobile and foot patrol to enhance crime prevention and crime solution,” Dubria said.
On illegal drugs, joint forces of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 11 conducted 818 anti-illegal drugs operations that led to the arrest of 1,139 suspects engaged in illegal drugs and resulted in the confiscation of P55.7 million.
The PRO 11 also recorded 1,052 cased filed against these suspects for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) upped the ante in anti-illegal drugs campaign as it launched on Wednesday”KATOK” Droga (Katilingban og Kapulisan Kontra Droga).
DCPO chief Vicente Danao Jr. said they are expecting to increase the number of arrested illegal drug suspects in the city with the new program. Stickers and tarpaulins containing the contact information of DCPO will be distributed to all houses in the city.
DCPO spokesperson Senior Insp. Milgrace Driz said a total of 2,371.32 grams of shabu worth P17.157 million and 1,779 grams of marijuana worth P78,000 were confiscated from January to Ausgust this year.
“With these, the DCPO was recognized by the PNP National Headquarters and adjudged as the best performing City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group of the year 2015,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)