PNP Bicol chief orders measures to stop crimes

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LEGAZPI CITY – Chief Supt. Victor P. Deona, Police Regional Office 5 director, has ordered the 117 chiefs of police across Bicol to step up their campaign against the rising number of crimes in the region.

Deona, who assumed the command of PRO5 only in October last year, said on Wednesday that he expressed his dissatisfaction over the poor performance of the police chiefs and warned that he would relieve any of them who fails and violates the Philippine National Police’s “three-strike policy” in the performance of their work.

He said he made the warning during a whole-day command conference on Monday where he discussed his anti-criminality program. Under the program, the PNP Bicol chief said, the chiefs of police are given monthly targets to be accomplished.

These include the arrest of three wanted persons; three recovered lost firearms; arrest of persons involved in illegal drug trade, logging, gambling, mining and other violators of special laws. Deona also warned his six provincial police directors that the strike policy will also be enforced at their level.

During the command conference, he also expressed alarm over the 40,331 cases of crime reported in 2013 in Bicol. The number is four times or 400-percent higher compared to the 10,091 cases reported in 2012. The report also showed that out of the total crime volume, 17,658 were index crimes or those committed either against persons or properties while 22,673 cases were non-index crimes (violation of local ordinances or special laws).

Index crimes recorded included physical injuries, the highest with 5,203; fol lowed by theft, 3,929 cases; robbery, 1,099; murder, 349;rape, 387; homicide, 184;carnapping, 200l and cattle rustling, 102 cases. The PNP regional crime situation report indicated that of the total crimes recorded, only 5,814 cases were solved while 12,846 were cleared.

By province, topping the list in crime volume is Camarines Sur with 11,392 cases; followed by Albay, 10,220 cases; Naga City, 7,175; Masbate, 5,035; Camarines Norte, 2,971; Catanduanes, 2,137, and Sorsogon, 1,401. Incidence of murder was high in the province of Masbate with 100 cases; followed by Camarines Sur, 94; Albay, 65; Sorsogon, 37; Camarines Norte, 26; Caranduanes, 10, and Naga City, 17. Provinces with high incidence of rape cases were Albay with 113 cases; Camarines Sur, 85; Sorsogon, 49;Catanduanes, 44; Camarines Norte, 37; Masbate, 30, and Naga City, 29. - PNA