Western Visayas crime incidents fall 21% in September

ILOILO CITY — Crime incidents in Western Visayas dropped by 21.05% in September compared with the same month last year.

Records from the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) showed that cases under the Peace and Order Indicator reached 600, down from 760 in September 2025.

The region also recorded an 11.68% decrease in the eight focus crimes — murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, motor vehicle theft and motorcycle theft — from 137 cases in September 2025 to 121 during the same period this year.

Among the eight focus crimes, notable decreases were recorded in homicide, which dropped by 44.44% from nine to five cases, and rape, which declined by 23.33% from 30 to 23 cases.

No motorcycle theft was recorded during the period, compared with two cases during the same month last year.

Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, Western Visayas police chief, said the crime statistics reflect PRO-6’s continuing efforts to keep communities safe and respond to emerging concerns.

He added that PRO-6 continuously monitors crime trends and identifies areas where police presence, preventive measures and community coordination need to be further strengthened.

Among the provincial and city police offices, Capiz recorded a 27.88% decline in peace and order incidents, while Iloilo province posted a 24.60% decrease and Iloilo City a 26.17% reduction.

Aklan also recorded a 10.34% decrease.

Tuaño said the figures provide useful guidance in determining where police efforts should be strengthened.

“The numbers are encouraging, but our work does not stop here. We will continue to look at where the concerns are and make sure that our police efforts are focused on the needs of our communities,” he added.

The region’s top police official also encouraged the public to remain alert and maintain close coordination with authorities.

“We also ask the public to remain alert and to report anything unusual or concerning to the police. Your cooperation helps us respond early and prevent incidents from happening,” he said.

PRO-6 reminded the public to secure their homes and personal belongings, exercise caution when sharing personal information, and promptly report suspicious activities or situations to the nearest police station or through established emergency channels.

The public was likewise encouraged to verify information before sharing it online, particularly reports involving alleged crimes or public safety concerns.

The September decline continued a trend recorded during the first two weeks of the month, when PRO-6 reported 51 focus crimes from Sept. 1 to 14, down 30.14% from 73 during the same period in 2025.