The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) reported a decreasing trend in the city’s crime volume from the pre-pandemic to the post-pandemic periods.
In a report presented during the third quarter meeting of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC), the BCPO stated that crime volume decreased by 368 incidents or 28 percent from 1,299 cases recorded from January to December 31, 2019 to 931 incidents for the same period in 2022.
Further, crime volume decreased by 227 incidents or 24 percent from 931 cases in 2022 to 704 incidents during the same period last year.
Theft is the most committed crime in the city during the said periods followed by physical injuries in terms of non-index crimes. For non-index crime, violation of Republic Act (RA) 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children cases remain at the top of the list closely followed by violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law cases.
Based on BCPO records, the peak of theft incidents during the said periods are in February and March where the activities lined up for the said months are the Panagbenga, Chinese New Year and the annual alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) where there is an influx of visitors to the city.
It added that the reported mode of theft cases is pickpocket followed by shoplifting and ‘salisi’ where it is observed that these incidents usually occur during parades while shoplifting and ‘salisi’ happen after the crowd drawing events where visitors go to the establishment in the city.
The BCPO claimed that as to physical injury cases, the majority of the said incidents happen in residential areas and commercial establishments which are often triggered by intoxication leading to misunderstandings, quarrels and fights.
On the other hand, the BCPO noted decrease in rape cases for 2016 where there were 65 incidents or 30 percent compared to the 45 cases in 2022. Most of the rape victims are minors or students and most of the cases happened in residential areas where drinking sessions transpired. Most of the offenders are not related to the victims where some victims met the offenders through social media. Few incidents happened in homes and committed by relatives or neighbors because the parents of the minor victims leave their homes for work and left the care of the victims to their relatives or neighbors.
The BCPO pointed out that the decrease or increase in non-index crimes is dependent on the number of police operations conducted during the said periods, especially in the anti-illegal drug operations, campaign against illegal firearms, illegal possession of bladed weapons, illegal logging, and illegal gambling.
It added that the decrease in violence against women cases can be attributed to the aggressive information and education program that empower women to know their rights under the law.
The BCPO emphasized that the sudden decrease of cases could be attributed to the active support of force multipliers and concerned barangays in the strict implementation of national laws and city ordinances. By Dexter A. See
