Police authorities said that gender-based violence in the different parts of the Cordillera has been decreasing over a two-year period but there is still a need to enhance the implementation of appropriate interventions to prevent the commission of the said crimes.
Police Col. Byron Tigui-in, chief of the regional community affairs development division of the Cordillera office of the Police Regional Office, said that 338 cases were reported during the second semester of 2022, 335 cases in the first semester of 2023, 318 cases in the second semester of 2023 and 308 cases in the first semester of 2024.
He added that Benguet recorded the highest number of gender-based violence during the said period with 394 cases followed by Baguio City with 377 cases, Kalinga – 155 cases, Abra – 125 cases, Ifugao – 112 cases, Apayao – 71 cases and Mountain Province – 65 cases.
Among the gender-based violence, rape had the highest number of incidents with 462 followed by anti-violence against women and their children – 332, special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and discrimination – 278, acts of lasciviousness- 152, safe spaces act – 25, anti-photo and video voyeurism act – 14, physical injuries – 13, concubinage – 9, anti-trafficking in persons – 5, abduction and sexual harassment – 3 each, anti-child pornography – 2 and infanticide – 1.
For violence against women cases, Baguio City recorded the highest number of cases with 187 followed by Benguet with 175, Kalinga – 66, Abra – 44, Ifugao – 34, Apayao 28 and Mountain Province – 22.
Topping the list of violence against women cases is anti-violence against women and their children with 327 followed by rape with 118, acts of lasciviousness – 60, safe spaces act – 20, anti-photo and video voyeurism act and concubinage – 9 each, special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and discrimination – 8, sexual harassment – 3 and anti-trafficking in persons and anti-child pornography – 1 each.
On the status of violence against women cases, of the 293 anti-violence against women and their children, 145 were resolved and filed in court, 86 are under preliminary investigation while 62 have been resolved or dismissed; for rape, 68 were resolved and filed in court, 11 are under preliminary investigation while 27 have been resolved or dismissed; for acts of lasciviousness, 35 have been resolved and filed in court, 13 are under preliminary investigation while 9 have been resolved or dismissed; for safe spaces act, 13 have been resolved and filed in court, 5 are under preliminary investigation while 2 have been resolved or dismissed and for anti-photo and video voyeurism act, 6 have been resolved and filed in court, 1 is under preliminary investigation while there are no cases that have been resolved or dismissed. Fur concubinage, 3 have been resolved and filed in court, 2 are under preliminary investigation while 4 have been resolved or dismissed.
On the other hand, Benguet reported the highest number of violence against children cases with 219 followed by Baguio City with 190, Kalinga – 89, Abra – 81, Ifugao – 78 and Apayao and Mountain Province – 43 each.
In terms of children in conflict with the law cases, Baguio had the highest number with 19 followed by Benguet, Ifugao and Kalinga with 12 each, Abra and Mountain Province – 10 each and Apayao – 7.
The police official stipulated that some 309 suspects were also arrested by the combined police operatives and intelligence agents through the warrantless arrests for the committed crimes on violence against women and their children incidents that included anti-violence against women and their children with 98 followed by rape with 95, special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and discrimination – 57, acts of lasciviousness – 43, safe spaces act – 11, anti-trafficking in persons – 3 and concubinage – 2.
Tiguin-in explained that among the interventions being implemented by the local police force in partnership with concerned local governments include the Oplan Pani-o, the conduct of house to house visit for the purpose of conducting anti-rape information advocacy; Oplan Ammu Na, the posting of anti-rape tarpaulins in conspicuous areas bearing messages to protect children against rape; Project Safe Juan and Juana, an intensified community awareness through the distribution of information materials and information drive as safety measures against rape, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse; the organization of the Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) and Oplan Dekeg, a house to house visitation for the purpose of information education addressing gender-based violence cases. By Dexter A. See
