Crime Rate Of Northern Mindanao Down by 39% In Q2

Northern Mindanao’s total crime volume for the second quarter has decreased “year-on-year,” according to the Regional Economic Situationer released by the National Economic and Development Authority in Region 10 (NEDA-10).

The region’s crime rate decreased by 39 percent or 3,576 cases for April to June 2018 compared to the same period last year, according to NEDA-10 report obtained by the Philippine News Agency on Monday. The report cited as basis data from the Regional Police Office in Region 10 (PRO-10).

For crimes against persons, most notable decreases were noted in physical injuries (40.5 percent) and homicide (33.3 percent), while for crimes against property, marked declines were recorded in theft (71.0 percent) and robbery (65.2 percent), the report said.

Non-index crimes, on the other hand, went down by 33 percent or 2,736 cases for the said period.

Meanwhile, the steepest declines in average monthly crime rate were recorded in Cagayan de Oro City (48.7 percent), and Misamis Oriental (24.3 percent).

“The decline in criminality is attributed to the crime prevention efforts of the police with the cooperation of the community, particularly in sustaining efforts to keep the streets safe and crime free,” NEDA-10 said.

However, despite the ongoing “war on drugs” of the Duterte administration, PRO-10 did not include its report to Neda the statistics related to illegal drug apprehensions. It also noted that the PRO-10 records did not include statistics from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 10 (PDEA-10).

Media reports, however, are replete with cases of illegal drug operations by the police that led to the deaths of suspected criminals — mostly for supposedly fighting back with the authorities.

On September 21, for instance, two suspected drug personalities were killed in separate anti-drug operations in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City.

Members of the Naawan town police killed Carlo Mamauag, 37, after he allegedly fought back during a drug bust.

Police Station 8 and Cagayan de Oro’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) personnel also killed Jonas Cababanez, 38, barangay tanod (village watchman) of Pagalungan, after he allegedly engaged the police in a shootout. (PNA)