PRO-7 says crime volume down to 21.61%

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Regional Office-7 bared its operational accomplishments for the first quarter of this year which apparently showed better performance for the police compared to the same period last year.

The Regional Operations and Plans Division disclosed that the crime volume in the region in January to February this year is much lower at 21.61 percent compared to 26.77 percent for the same period in 2010.

ROPD chief, Supt. Petronelli Baldebrin, during this week’s monthly Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (Tsip) forum, said that in figures, there were 1,614 crime incidents from January to February last year while there were 1,182 incidents only recorded for the same period this year.

Baldebrin revealed that in their campaign against illegal gambling for the first quarter this year, they have conducted 137 operations, arrested 193 persons, confiscated P188, 307 amount of money and filed 86 cases in court.

On their campaign against loose firearms, the region has confiscated, some surrendered to them, 144 firearms. Of this number 65 are high-powered guns. They have also arrested 122 persons but it was not known how many cases were filed in court against these persons.

For their campaign against carnapping, the Regional Highway Patrol Group-7 has recovered five vehicles with dubious documents. In the implementation of Letter of Instruction Kalikasan, under illegal logging, the police conducted 263 operations, arrested 15 persons, recovered 3, 027 board feet of illegal lumber, and confiscated a total amount of P223,882.

Under illegal fishing, 321 operations were carried out, 157 persons arrested, 10,601 blasting caps seized and P9,676,138 worth of items confiscated.

As to illegal quarrying of sand and gravel, they have confiscated a total amount of P181,500 and arrested four persons in 250 operations conducted.

The PRO-7 has neutralized 306 wanted persons who are in their list.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, through its legal representative, lawyer Mauro Licen, also bared that they have conducted 233 operations in coordination with the police that led to the arrest of 273 people and confiscated a total of P2,746,083 worth of illegal drugs.

The PDEA-7 and PRO-7 said they are intensifying their operations against illegal drugs.

Police said there are no drug couriers in Region 7. (FREEMAN)