City's crime rate down

Crime against person or property (index crimes) in Iloilo City went down by 30.76 percent during the first six months of the year, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) reported.

In a report during the recent City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting S/Insp. Nilda Rapiz, ICPO Chief of Operation said that the ICPO recorded 91 index crime incidents from January 1 to July 11, 2005 compared to 2004 figure of 119.

Physical injuries recorded the most incidents with 64 percent followed by theft and robbery with 21 percent and 20 percent respectively. Murder was at 12 percent while homicide with 8 percent.

An increase of 39.24 percent in the city's non-index crimes such as illegal gambling and violations of special laws were registered at 79 incidents as compared to 41 during the same period last year.

Rapiz said the decrease in index crime and the increase of non-index crimes are indicative of police actions in crime prevention and control.

However, she noted that in the same period, crime volume was registered at 170 incidents, higher by 10 or 5.88 percent compared to the same period last year.

Overall crime solution efficiency remained high at 95.06 percent higher by 1.77 as compared to the 2004 record of 93.29 percent.

The Iloilo City Proper Police Station (PP1) has the highest recorded crime solution of 97 percent, followed by Jaro Police Station (PP3) with 96 percent, Molo Police Station (PP4), Mandurriao Police Station (PP5) and Arevalo Police Station (PP6) with 93 percent respectively and Lapaz Police Station (PP2) with 92 percent.

Also in the said meeting City Police Director P/SSupt. Norlito Bautista assured the body that necessary attention and action will be given by the ICPO to the concerns/observations raised by some members of the body. Some of these concerns include the proliferation of illegal drugs in the vicinities of motels in the district of Molo, the drag race that took place in the district of Jaro particularly in the wee hours of the morning and the drug proble m in Brgy. Bakhaw,Mandurriao. The meeting was presided by Mayor Jerry Treñas, CPOC Chairman.(PIA)