PNP records 8% dip in crime incidents in past 10 months, most of those committed were ‘petty’ cases

The Philippine National Police has recorded an 8 percent dip in the number of crime incidents in the past ten months, with 79 percent of the cases considered as petty.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos attributed the figures to the police organization’s continued effort to wage intelligence-driven operations against organized crime groups and street crime gangs.

Carlos said that based on the Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), the total crime volume dropped by 8.44 percent.

From 493,912 incidents from January to October 2016, only 452,204 incidents were recorded from January to October 2017.

The data also showed a 20.56 percent reduction in Index Crime (IC) cases during the same ten-month period, Carlos said.

He said decreases in crime volume were recorded in all regions except in Southern Luzon (CALABARZON) and Northern Mindanao where slight increases in non-index crime were recorded.

He added that across the country, all regions posted marked decline in index crime cases of murder, physical injury, robbery, theft, rape, carnapping and cattle-rustling.

Carlos also said theft cases were most prevalent and made up 32.44 percent of all recorded index crime incidents, while physical injury comprised 28.44 percent and robbery 14.75 percent of all index crime cases.

He said corresponding decreases were noted among murder, and physical injury cases during the period.

Meanwhile, of the total crime volume, 357,639 incidents or 79.08 percent were non-index crime cases, while only 94,565 incidents or 20.91 percent were index crimes.

DIDM chief Director Augusto Marquez Jr. said index crimes are violation of special laws and other less serious criminal offenses.

“Non-index crime cases are not accurate indicators of the overall prevailing crime situation, rather, it reflects the effectiveness of police operations in the enforcement of special laws, statutes and local ordinances,” Marquez said in a press statement.

He said they recorded 139,292 cases of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property, mostly arising from road and industrial accidents, or 38.95% of non-index cases, and 65,838 cases of reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury representing 18.41 percent.

He said another 25.51 percent of non-index crime cases were 91,235 incidents of violation of Special Laws such as RA 9262 (Violation Against Women and Children), 19,593 cases; RA 7610 (Child Abuse), 14,592; RA 9165 (Illegal Drugs), 36,347; RA 10591 (Illegal Firearms), 4,838; PD 705 (illegal Logging), 1,338; RA 4136 (Traffic Codes), 4,569; RA 9344 (Juvenile Welfare Act), 1,092; and RA 9287 (Illegal Gambling), 9,430.

Also included among the  non-index crime cases reported in January to October 2017 were 56,020 incidents or 15.66 percent of other less serious criminal offenses such as acts of lasciviousness, alarm and scandal, direct assault, estafa, threats, malicious mischief, and unjust vexation. — RSJ, GMA News