BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) reported that the city’s crime volume continues to drop following the strict implementation of guidelines governing the extended Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the city.
BCPO City Director Police Col. Allen Rae F. Co reported that based on the latest data, some 77 crimes were committed in the city from April 16-30, 2019 compared to the 26 crimes recorded by the local police force during the same period this year reflecting a 70 percent decline in the city’s crime volume.
For April 1-15, 2020, 28 crimes were recorded in the blotters of the different police stations which is close to 80 percent lower than the 123 crimes registered in the city during the same period last year.
From March 16-31, 2020, the crime volume in the city dropped by over 73 percent with 25 crimes registered compared to the 97 different crimes reported during the same period last year.
Earlier, President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the entire Luzon under a state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as part of the recommended precautionary measures by the national inter-agency task force for the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases to prevent the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 2019.
Prior to the implementation of the ECQ, the city’s crime volume slightly increased with some 130 crimes recorded from March 1-16, 2020 compared to the 118 crimes reported during the same period last year following the implementation of stringent anti-criminality and peacekeeping efforts city-wide.
Co claimed the strict implementation of the ECQ guidelines where people were mandated to stay at home and observe physical distancing were instrumental in the reduction of the city’s crime volume as the same was coupled with the police presence all over the city at all times.
The police official noted it took quite some time for people to internalize the real essence of the ECQ but after the lapse of a few days, residents have cooperated and that the number of people being arrested for different ECQ violations have drastically dropped over the past several weeks.
According to him, it is important for people to be patient in complying with the rules governing the prevailing ECQ so as not to ruin the city’s gains during the ECQ and to allow the downgrading of the city’s status to general community quarantine (GCQ) by May 15, 2020.
However, he asserted there will still be strict rules and regulations to be enforced during the GCQ as its implementation will be on a gradual basis to allow the economic activities and sources of livelihood of the people to slowly recover their vibrance amidst a new normal that must be embraced to prevent any untoward incidents that might compromise the health situation in the future.
By Dexter A. See