POLICE VISIBILITY. Police Regional Office 5 (Bicol) Regional Director, Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, personally oversees the deployment and operation of motorcycle patrols during peak hours in Legazpi City in this undated photo. As a result of intensified police presence across the Bicol Region, the focus crime rate declined by 34.63 percent compared to the same period last year. (Photo courtesy of PRO5)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 (Bicol) has intensified police presence across the region, resulting in a 34.63 percent decline in focus crimes compared to the same period last year.
In an interview on Thursday, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said 889 focus crimes were recorded from January to June 2024, which is lower compared to the 1,360 in the same period in 2023.
"This is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Bicol cops and the community. Our regional director, Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, personally oversees the deployment and operation of bike and motorcycle patrols during peak hours to guarantee their efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring public safety and quick response to any incidents," Calubaquib said.
Based on the records, all eight focus crimes significantly decreased -- theft 439 to 278; rape from 360 to 224; physical injury from 208 to 139; robbery from 183 to 108; murder from 83 to 77; carnapping from 53 to 35; homicide from 30 to 27; and theft of motor vehicles from four to one.
Calubaquib said that to sustain the decline in crimes, Dizon ordered officers from the regional and provincial headquarters to actively patrol the streets in addition to their regular administrative duties to reassure the public that police assistance is readily available.
She said a total of 3,200 deployed personnel are now visible in communities, distributing informational, educational, and communication materials and police stations' hotline numbers to facilitate easy access to police services for any security concerns. (PNA)
