Metro crime rate dips further – NCRPO

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) yesterday reported a drop in crime rate in Metro Manila.

The NCRPO recorded a total of 692 crime incidents from Aug. 18 to 25, down from the 757 posted from Aug. 11 to 17, NCRPO chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said.

The NCRPO is conducting a weekly assessment of crime incidents in the metropolis.

Valmoria said cases of murder and homicide dropped from 38 cases weekly to 34. Theft and robbery cases fluctuated in several areas.

“Cases of murder and homicide are showing a decreasing trend. Theft and other petty crimes are fluctuating but we are addressing them,” he said.

The NCRPO chief attributed the decrease in crime rate to the deployment of additional policemen in the streets, intensified checkpoint operations and the implementation of “Operation Plan Katok.”

The 38 police chiefs in Metro Manila have been ordered to conduct three shifts of checkpoint operations per day to seize stolen motorcycles and loose firearms.

“We wanted an intensified foot patrols and checkpoint operations to curb crime,” he said.

Valmoria has been rating the performance of police station commanders in the war against crime since June 16.

Four station commanders have been relieved for being remiss in their duties.

Superintendent Rizalino Padrique of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 4 in Sampaloc became the latest police official to be relieved for failing to address crime in his jurisdiction.

Earlier, Pasay police chief Senior Superintendent Florencio Ortilla was removed from his post for allegedly failing to check the rising cases of theft and robbery in the city.

Caloocan police chief Senior Superintendent Bernard Tambaoan was relieved after his men were found tampering with the records of crime statistics in the city.

Superintendent Luis Francisco, MPD Station 11 commander, was sacked after he failed to implement the minimum number of checkpoint operations in his area.

Although crime incidents in Metro Manila are going down, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas appeared dissatisfied as he asked the 18,000-strong NCRPO to do more.

Roxas ordered Valmoria to release the number of crime incidents on a weekly basis to show the public the real crime situation in the metropolis.