Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR, May 5 (PIA)
- - Total crime volume in Siquijor province decreased by 14% in the first three
months of the year compared to the same period in 2014.
Siquijor Police
Provincial Office (SPPO) said there were a total of 88 cases reported from
January to March this year from last year’s 102 incidents.
Index crime occurrence
went down by 7% from 58 to 53 incidents and non-index crime by 21% from 44
in 2014 to 35 in 2015.
Police Chief Inspector
Alexis Relado in his presentation of the provincial crime during the
Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting said the excellent performance was
made in January having lowered the crime volume by almost 50%, or from 45
incidents last year to only 23 this year.
He said the police
force from the six municipal police stations and the provincial police did
fairly well in February by reducing the occurrence of crimes by 16%, but
for the month of March crime volume shot up by 50% from 26 to 39 incidents.
The SPPO,
however, attributed the spike in crime in March to the tremendous influx
of local and foreign tourists who have chosen the island as their summer
destination.
“Their satisfaction
and enjoyment over the hospitality and the attractions the province have to
offer somewhat made these adventure-seeking people to be unsuspecting and less
watchful of their personal belongings, leaving them vulnerable to be taken
away,” the SPPO said in its assessment report.
Too much revelry and
drinking have also caused vehicular accidents, particularly for foreign
nationals who rented motorcycles during the duration of their stay and yet are
unfamiliar of the terrain and traffic rules, the report added.
In its comparative
breakdown of index crime for the period, physical injury is at the top
spot with 35 incidents from last year’s 22 or an increase of 59%.
This was followed by
robbery and theft with seven and six incidents, respectively.
Vehicular cases
registered 24 or 68% followed by mauling, with four; slight physical
injuries, three; and stabbing and others, two. This brings the total incidents
to 35. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor)