PNP: Zero focus crimes reported first week after Cebu earthquake

No focus crimes have been reported for five days in Cebu province after the devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Bogo City on September 30, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

“Kung makikita natin yung trend, especially the occurrence of focus crimes in Cebu, zero yung Cebu. So ilang araw lang, so one week already,” PNP acting chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said at a press briefing.

(If we look at the trend, especially the occurrence of focus crimes in Cebu, Cebu has zero. So for a few days, so one week already.)

Focus crimes are offenses considered as serious in nature with sufficient frequency and regularity.

These include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicles, and carnapping of motorcycle.

Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) director Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan told reporters in a separate phone interview that 1,500 cops are still deployed to the earthquake-hit areas.

“Kasama sa binabantayan natin ang iba't ibang collapsed structures, mga damaged houses, nang sa ganun hindi ito mapagsamantalahan,” Maranan said.

(Among those we are monitoring are various collapsed structures, damaged houses, so that they cannot be looted.)

“Tayo naman ay natutuwa dahil yung mga Cebuano, lalong-lalo na sa northern part kung saan greatly affected ng lindol, ay talagang nakikipag-cooperate sa ating security measures,” he added.

(We are also happy because the Cebuanos, especially in the northern part where the earthquake was greatly affected, are really cooperating with our security measures.)

The reported death toll due to the earthquake was 72, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday.

A total of 547,394 people or 155,094 families were affected in Central Visayas.

The NDRRMC said 35,925 houses were damaged—32,123 partially and 3,802 totally.

Around 1,251 people or 405 families were staying in evacuation centers while around 17,661 individuals or 7,357 families were taking shelter in other places amid the ongoing aftershocks. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News