Touting the effectiveness of its anti-criminality campaign, the Catanduanes Police Provincial Office has reported that for the second straight year, criminal incidence in the island went down by nearly six percent in 2022.
In its report to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) on Feb. 7, 2023, PCol. Benjamin Balingbing Jr. stated that last year the police recorded a total of 701 crimes, a 5.40 percent drop from last year’s 741 incidents.
The capital town of Virac accounted for 326 or 46 percent of the total but still considerably less than the 407 recorded for 2021.
Only two other towns – Baras (-39%) and Caramoran (-19%) – had a lesser number of crimes last year while the figures for Gigmoto, Viga, Panganiban. Pandan, and Bagamanoc were almost the same.
San Miguel, however, saw its criminal incidence double from just 23 cases in 2021 to 47 last year.
The towns of Bato and San Andres also saw upticks in crimes by 73% and 24%, respectively, the annual report stated.
Here’s how each town fared in criminal incidence last year: Bagamanoc, 22; Baras, 26; Bato, 52; Caramoran, 46; Gigmoto, 15; Pandan, 32; Panganiban, 18; San Andres, 82; Viga, 35; and Virac, 326.
Index crimes increased by 14.7%, from 102 to 117, compared to the previous year while the opposite occurred with regards to non-index crimes which sharply declined by 31% from 459 in 2021 to just 317 last year.
Sixty-one (61) of the 117 index crimes that occurred last year were recorded in Virac, along with 109 of the non-index crimes.
There were 35 rape incidents in 2022, up from 30 the year before, with the Catanduanes police stating that the victims were mostly minors ranging in age from 5 to 15 years old while the suspects were 18 to 40 years old.
Most of the cases transpired in rural areas, the report said, but Virac apparently accounted for a third of the cases with 13 while San Andres and Caramoran had five each.
Robbery cases more than doubled from just 11 in 2021 to 24 last year while thieveries almost stayed level with 32, up by one from the previous year.
The Catanduanes police pointed out that these crimes against property were mostly confined to urban areas, with Virac accounting for 73 percent of the cases with 44.
Incidents of physical injury also increased from nine to 16, but there were just six murders last year, compared to 10 in 2021. Four motorcycles were stolen compared to zero in 2021, the same report noted.
On crimes against public safety, vehicular accidents registered a sharp increase from 159 in 2021 to 267 last year or 67%, although deaths arising from the incidents dropped by just one to 11 cases.
Four of the fatal accidents occurred in San Andres, with the rest recorded in Bato (3), Virac (2), Baras (1) and San Miguel (1).
Reckless Imprudence Resulting (RIR) to physical injury also jumped to 151 compared to the previous 99 cases while those leading to property damage likewise escalated to 102 from just 72 in 2021.
Crime Clearance Efficiency (CCE) was at 97.43% in a slight improvement from 2021’s 95.47% while Crime Solution Efficiency (CSE) likewise increased to 80.88%, up from 73.61% a year earlier.
Saying that the peace and order situation in the province is within manageable level, the police, however, pointed to the rising population in urban areas, high inflation and increasing volume of vehicles in the province contributed to the increasing number of crimes against property and vehicular accidents.
The Catanduanes police called for intensified implementation of traffic rules and the improvement of traffic facilities.
In the light of the notable decrease in crime incidence, it called for sustained good rapport among the law enforcement agencies, local government units, NGOs and the community in deterring crime in the locality.
Among its accomplishments in 2022 was the conduct of 20 operations in the campaign against illegal drugs, resulting in the arrest of 22 persons and the confiscation of 430 grams of shabu and 3.37 grams of marijuana worth a total of P2.9 million.
Eighteen of those apprehended came from the capital town of Virac, with the other four from Viga, Pandan, Baras and San Andres.
In the 78 anti-illegal gambling operations, the police nabbed 234 persons and confiscated a total of P29,771 in bets.
Thirty-four suspected illegal loggers were collared in 2022, with the operations netting 1,900 board feet of lumber, furniture, firewood, charcoal and a chainsaw.
In its mission to preserve marine resources, the Catanduanes PNP arrested 76 illegal fishers, with most of them from Caramoran and Bato.
Fourteen persons were also caught in possession of loose firearms, with the police seizing 12 guns and recovering two more along with three explosives.
The report added that 55 firearms and an explosive were surrendered while 18 others were turned in for safekeeping by their owners pending the renewal of their permits.
In the neutralization of wanted persons, the local police arrested 100 fugitives, including two regional-level and one provincial-level wanted persons.