Regional police office chief Silverio Alarcio, Jr. said the recent robbery incidents in Cebu are not really alarming because the crime statistics in September remain lower compared to the same month last year.
Alarcio said only 24 murder incidents have been recorded in Central Visayas for the month compared to the 30 cases recorded in September last year.
The regional police chief added that this year, there are 15 homicide cases recorded in the region as of yesterday compared to 16 cases last year. For physical injuries, he said the record was 182 cases last year while 105 this year.
According to Alarcio, the crime statistics for September compared to the same period last year showed that the recent robbery cases were just isolated.
"We cannot stop the crime but we do our best to prevent and suppress it," Alarcio told dyLA, admitting that they are looking into a group from Mindanao as possible perpetrators in the recent robbery incidents in Cebu.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council, found it ironic that these robbery incidents occurred when the existing police force in Cebu has been augmented in preparation for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Summit in December.
Garcia said the spate of crimes in the past days posed a challenge to the Philippine National Police, especially now that the ratio of police to Cebu residents is above the ideal.
Hoping that Alarcio will take up the matter with her, Garcia said the augmentation force should help maintain peace and order in Cebu. "Their presence alone should act as deterrence. But if they are to be just decorative pieces on the streets, then unsa may gamit nila."
Since crimes occurred during nighttime, the governor said Alarcio should find a better way on posting police assignments.
The governor said she does not want to see policemen deployed in every corner posing as though they are there for a photo session or fashion show.
"I think Gen. Alarcio has the competence, training and experience to know how to deploy their police personnel effectively and efficiently," she said.
As to the problem about too many policemen who do not possess firearms, Garcia said the situation is an exact opposite to that of the New Peoples' Army, which has more firearms than members.
"I trust that the PNP will look into this problem -- Fred P. Languido and Cristina C. Birondo/LPM