Jul 12, 2012
Governor Jericho "Icot" L. Petilla:
Crime rate in Tacloban City decreases
By Kersey A. Badocdoc
Leyte Samar Daily Express
TACLOBAN CITY – The crime rate in this city has significantly decreased to 333 cases in the first semester this year compared to the 581 cases of the same period last year.
Police Sr. Insp. Ma. Bella Rentuaya, chief, police-community relations (PCR) Branch of the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO), said the decrease was a result of the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) that they are being implemented. PIPS is the deployment of police forces to strategic areas and the conduct of random checkpoints.
Rentuaya also said the TCPO also conducts ‘Oplan Bakal Sita,’ especially to motorcycle riders. She explained that motorcycles in other places are frequently used in crimes.
“We are not discounting the possibility that here in Tacloban, criminals would adapt the use of motorcycles,” she said.
According to her, thief on abandoned houses, salisi, and pick-pocketing are the usual crimes that is being committed.
Murder and homicide cases were only minimal.
She pointed out that there is a significant increase in their crime solution efficiency from 30.15% (1st semester of 2011) to 43.54% (1st of 2012).
TCPO taps the barangays through the Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team or BPATs in which barangay tanods are their partners in peace-keeping, she added.
“That is why at the start of the PCR month celebration (this month), we gave recognition to the barangay tanods who helped in the arrest (of an escaping suspect),” she said.
Meanwhile, Rentuaya said that her office, PCR, “link-up outside” for the better service of the police.
“We try to link-up with people outside of the police organization to help us out in addressing problems,” she said.
Rentuaya expressed her gratitude to the city government for its material support to TCPO.
The city government, provided them several vehicles to beef-up their mobile patrol units.
She said that the city government also gave TCPO firearms including 9mm pistols, M-16 rifles and communication equipment.
Rentuaya also said that it is indeed a blessing to have an LGU that is very supportive to a law enforcement group like them.
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