By Jennifer P. Rendon
A slight increase in the number of total crime incidents (TCIs) were recorded in Western Visayas just as 2022 was about to end.
Records from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 indicated that from January to November 2022, Western Visayas recorded 20,442 incidents, which is higher by 1,481 (or 7.81 percent) from 18,961 incidents in the same period last year.
TCIs include peace and order indicator (POI), which is the sum of index crimes and non-index crimes; and public safety indicator (PSI), which is around 98-99 percent of vehicular incidents.
All areas in the region, except Bacolod City, posted an increase in TCIs.
While the TCIs in Bacolod City were down by 3.08 percent, Negros Occidental province registered the highest increase of 16.42 percent.
But this should not be a cause for alarm.
Major Mary Grace Borio, PRO-6 spokesperson, said road crashes contributed to the increase in TCIs.
In fact, the POI crimes, which reflect the true crime picture and peace and order situation of a community, decreased by 3.48 percent.
“This year, we have gone to a more relaxed restrictions. In fact, it looks we’re almost back to normal. The unhindered movement has contributed to more crime incidents and higher number of road crashes,” she said.
Again, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) has the highest increase of POIs at 12.86 while Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) decreased by 27.09 percent.
Index crimes, which is one of the factors in coming up with POI, includes focus crimes and special complex crimes.
The number of index crimes also decreased by 5.52 percent.
All city and provincial police officers recorded a decrease in index crimes, except for Negros Occidental PPO which logged a 15.73 percent increase.
Focus crimes decreased by 5.36 percent owing to lesser cases of physical injuries.
However, there was an increase in number of homicide, robbery, theft, and motorcycle carnapping incidents.
The most notable decrease was on the number of special complex crimes at 41.66 percent.
Meanwhile, non-index crimes decreased by 2.77 percent.
While other police units posted increases in non-index crimes, the decrease in Iloilo CPO and Iloilo PPO in non-index crimes significantly offset the spike.
In the advent of the Holiday Season, Borio said their main goal is to achieve “zero major crime incidents” scenario.
She said that field units were instructed to strengthen their coordination and collaboration with the local government units and other stakeholders in their respective areas of responsibility to maintain peace and order.
