Crime volume continues to increase with theft, robbery and vehicular accident topping the list.
Police Superintendent Jovito Atanacio of the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) reported during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting yesterday at the Governor’s Mansion that crime volume increased from 760 in March to 790 in April.
“The Province of Bohol is still a safe place to live, work, do business and relax,†according to Atanacio.
Comparing the March and April statistics, non-index crimes increased from 331 to 369, while index crimes decreased from 429 to 421.
Physical injury decreased from 184 to 173, followed by theft dropping from 153 to 148, robbery—from 50 to 45, then vehicle theft—from 16 to 15. Murder increased from eight to 14 incidents, rape—from eight to 11, homicide—from seven to eight and cattle rustling from five to seven.
The police also improved in solving cases from the record of 392 in March to 394 in April, and also in clearing cases from 411 to 425.
“Statistics reflect that theft and physical injury remains to be the most prevalent crimes in the distribution of index crimes. Physical Injury as broken down reflected that incidents in physical injuries are not mostly human inflicted crimes but due to human errors or traffic related accidents,†Atanacio said.
Vehicular accidents topped in the category of physical injury with 103 incidents in the record, followed by mauling with 21 incidents. Also under the physical injury, the police also recorded 11 stabbing incidents, six stoning or injury through thrown objects, and five shooting incidents.
In the campaign against illegal possession of firearms, the police confiscated five high-powered and 18 low-powered firearms during the 21 operations that resulted to the arrest of 10 persons and filing of 10 cases in court.
On illegal gambling, the police conducted four operations that resulted to the arrest of four persons and filing of three cases in court, and confiscated only P163 cash and other gambling paraphernalia in the month of April.
On illegal fishing, the police confiscated five pump boats, nine nets, 21 kilos of fish and two compressors from the seven operations which resulted to the arrest of 23 persons and filing of four cases in court.
DRUGS
Provincial Prosecutor Macario Delusa challenged both the police and PDEA to launch the overdue action against the “roots†of the illegal drugs trade in the province.
This hinted the classified information that influential personalities, like narco-politicians, have been in the illegal trade for about a decade already and remained untouchable.
Delusa expressed disappointment on the trend of endless arrests that only proved futile in pinning down the “brains†of the illegal activities.
In the April, the police confiscated a total of 52.2 grams of shabu and several drug paraphernalia during the 36 anti-illegal drugs operations which resulted to the arrest of 44 persons and filing of 62 cases in court.
In addition, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) team confiscated 10.04 grams of shabu through buy-bust operations, 23.64 grams of shabu through raids based on search warrants, and 0.34 gram of shabu from those caught in the act–a total net weight of 34.02 grams with an estimated street value of P401,436.
However, PDEA Agent Ma. Chona Egam reported that of the 77 complaints related to illegal drugs filed before the city and the provincial prosecutor’s office, six had been dismissed in the month of April—one on violation of Section 6 (maintenance of a drug den) of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; two on violation of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs); one on violation of Section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia); and two on Section 15 (use of dangerous drugs).
Egam cited that like in the past, the complaints had been dismissed for lack of concrete evidence and the support of some barangay officials to the arrested persons.
Of the 77 complaints, 39 had been elevated to the Regional Trial Court, 15 are up for resolution and 17 for preliminary investigation.
Of the 57 drug cases filed before the RTC, 14 are on violation of RA 9165 Section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs), 33 on Section 11, and 10 on Section 12.
Of the 41 personalities involved, nine posted bail, 25 have been detained and seven remain at large.
Of the decided cases, five clinched in acquittal—four on Section 11 and one on Section 12.
“Because of cooperation and support of the province of Bohol, law enforcement units and the private sector in the fight against dangerous drugs, several illegal drug operations were conducted,†according to Egam.
PDEA recommended to intensify the provincewide Drug Prevention Education Seminars and Symposia in schools, every barangay, workplaces, churches and social media.
PDEA also recommended there should be drug detection and information gathering trainings for barangay police (tanods), training on Bantay Dagat, and random or surprise checkpoints on ports.