BONTOC, Mountain Province – As the center of trade, commerce, education, and governance, the capital town’s crime rate is still under control.
PMAJ Ryan Wakat, the Chief of Police of the Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS), reported on crime statistics and ordinance enforcement during the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting on February 19, 2025, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol Auditorium.
From January 1 to February 18, 2025, Bontoc MPS recorded only six crime incidents. Of these, three were vehicular traffic incidents, two were classified as non-index crimes, and one was an index crime.
In the implementation of the Municipal Ordinances, topping the list are violators of the Municipal Traffic Code with a total of 568 covering January 1, 2025, to February 18, 2025.
Prohibited parking has the most violations (284), followed by not wearing a helmet (177). Additional violations include: Obstruction (60), Lack of Driver’s License (23), Jaywalking (eight), Slipper Wearing (seven), No Plate (four), No Franchise (two), No OR/CR (one), Incorrect Parking Mode (one), and Overloading (one). The citation tickets were settled by the violators at the Office of the Municipal Treasurer.
In the implementation of Municipal Ordinance No. 65, S. 2001, particularly on the liquor ban, 53 violations were recorded by the Bontoc MPS: 20 violations for the 1st offense, 10 for the 2nd, and 23 for the 3rd and succeeding offenses, which were endorsed to the Office of the Municipal Treasurer for the collection of penalties to be paid by the business establishment-violators.
Meanwhile, in the implementation of Municipal Ordinance No. 392, s. 2024, titled “An Ordinance Prohibiting and Penalizing Unsanitary Acts in the Municipality of Bontoc, Mountain Province,” a total of 62 violations were recorded.
Additionally, PMAJ Wakat presented the PRO-CAR Oplan No. 27-2024 “Tagapagpatupad” (Anti-Rape and Anti-Gender-Based Violence Campaign Strategy), locally adopted and known as “Oplan Lawa.”. The operation plan outlines the actions to be undertaken by the concerned units/offices in the implementation of the Anti-Rape and Anti-Gender-Based Violence Campaign and the National Anti-Crime Prevention Program.
PMAJ Wakat emphasized the importance of CCTV installations, particularly in areas where crimes are more likely to occur, as a preventive and investigative tool. Wakat also credited the support of partner government agencies, the Municipal and Barangay LGUs, other stakeholders, and the community in maintaining peace and order in Bontoc. By Zenith Vale Changat
