PNP crime solution efficiency down, stats show

By AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV Despite pronouncements from police officials that they have been successful in solving crime incidents, statistics from the Philippine National Police have shown otherwise. Records from the PNP general headquarters showed that the ability of the police to solve crimes have been on the downtrend. Statistics showed that the crime solution efficiency rate in 2004 was 89.86 percent. It declined in 2005 with only 88.79 percent efficiency rate. From January to September 2006, the PNP posted an 88.49 percent crime solution efficiency rate with only 48,240 of 54,516 crime incidents solved. In 2004, the PNP only solved 69,417 of the 77,253 crime incidents while in 2005 only 68,151 of the 76,758 crime incidents were solved. The solution rate on index crimes was also on a decline from 83.78 percent efficiency rate in 2004 to 82.12 percent in 2005 or a 1.98 percent decrease. As of September 2006, the police posted an 82.01percent efficiency rate or resolution of only 26,396 out of the 32,187 crime incidents Index crimes were divided into two classifications, namely the crime against persons which include murder, homicide physical injury and rape; and crime against property such as robbery and theft. Records showed that during the first nine months of this year, Police Regions 7, 11 and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were the least effective in solving crimes. PRO 7 (Cebu) has registered the lowest crime solution efficiency rating of 66.66 percent or solving only 4,218 out of the 6,328 crimes that were reported from January 1 to September 30, 2006. This was followed by PRO 11 (Davao areas) registering a crime solution rating of 72.73 percent or solving only 1,035 crimes out of the 1,423 crimes reported in the same period. While the PRO ARMM area has registered a crime solution efficiency rating of 75.66 percent or solving only 258 cases out of 341 crimes that were reported to the police. The top three PNP regional offices that have registered high crime solution efficiency rating were the PRO 12, 6 and the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO). Statistics showed that PRO 12 (Socsargen) has registered the highest solution efficiency rating of 96.44 percent or solving 1,245 cases out of the 1,291 crimes reported. PRO 6 (Western Visasyas area) has a crime solution efficiency rating of 92.79 percent solving 1,689 cases out of the 1,830 crimes that were reported. On the other hand, the NCRPO (Metro Manila area) has recorded a crime solution efficiency rating of 89.55 percent, solving 6,870 cases out of the 7,672 reported crimes. - GMANews.TV