NCRPO: Crime rate drops during ‘ber’ months

MANILA, Philippines — The number of crimes in Metro Manila has been on a downward trend during the “ber” months since President Duterte assumed office in 2016, a police official said.

“Higher crime incidents during the ber months are now a thing of the past. We have reversed that since 2016,” National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said yesterday.

The start of the ber months ushered in the unofficial countdown to Christmas in the country, which is known to have the longest Christmas season.

Eleazar noted the steady decline in index crimes from September to December in 2016 from 3,260 cases, down to 2,753 in 2017 and 2,226 in 2018.

Last year, the NCRPO recorded an average of 1,077 crimes from September to December against 1,149 cases during non-ber months.

Despite the downward trend in crimes in the metropolis, Eleazar ordered all police district commanders to be on against criminals.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) urged commercial establishments to beef up their security.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said robbers usually attack when people flock to shopping malls from September to December. – Emmanuel Tupas