BAGUIO CITY (PIA) –The city of Baguio remains peaceful even recording decrease in crime volume during the second quarter of the year.
Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Director Col. Glenn Lonogan during the recent City Peace and Order Council meeting reported that their office recorded a total crime volume of 230 from June 17 to September 10, 2021 which is 130 less compared to the same period last year.
Index crimes decreased by 10 incidents or 19%, while non-index crimes which include violations of special laws and vehicular traffic incidents went down by 123 incidents or 40%.
The three most prevalent crimes for the period are theft, physical injuries and rape. Cases of theft and rape decreased while physical injuries increased by two incidents though all these cases were cleared and solved.
On the modes of theft committed, salisi in establishments recorded the most with five incidents followed by shoplifting with four, snatching and qualified theft with two cases and theft of water meter with one case. Of the 15 incidents, 12 were already solved as of reporting period.
For the eight cases of rape, five are statutory rape and one is incest rape.
Lonogan also reported that the BCPO arrested 149 wanted individuals from June 17 to September 10, 2021. Two of those arrested were categorized as Top Most Wanted Persons (TMWP) in the regional level while 11 are TMWP in the city level, four are under the provincial level, five from the municipal level, and 33 from the police station level.
On the anti-illegal drugs campaign, the BCPO conducted 57 operations resulting in the arrest of 68 drug personalities with 21 categorized as high value individuals, 13 street level individuals and 34 as newly identified drug personalities. Different illegal drugs such as shabu, marijuana and ecstasy worth P4, 550,011.53 were confiscated from the arrested suspects.
On the other accomplishments, the BCPO arrested two individuals for violation of Section 77 of PD 705 or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines and confiscated 79.99 board feet of pine lumber with assessed value of P3,039.60.
The office also accounted a total of 47 firearms with one person arrested for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. Moreover, BCPO personnel arrested 19 individuals in six operations against illegal gambling and confiscated assorted gambling paraphernalia and betting money.
Lonogan attributed the decrease in crime volume and the accomplishments in other peace and security efforts to the strategic deployment of personnel on identified crime hotspot areas on specific periods of time, and continuing collaboration between the BCPO and the city government and the barangays in the implementation of curfew hour, liquor ban and other regulations.
The BCPO also coordinated with business establishment owners and managers for them to intensify security measures, which contributed in keeping Baguio City peaceful amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. **JDP/RMC- PIA CAR
