Crime rate up by 63% in 2009 - PNP

MANILA, Philippines - Criminality nationwide increased by 63 percent in 2009 compared to the previous year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

In a statement, the PNP said the total crime volume in 2009 was recorded at 101,798 incidents with 61.26 percent of these index crimes like robbery, murder and other offenses against persons, and 38.74 percent non-index offenses, or crimes against property.

The PNP said the crime rate in 2009 indicated a 63.79-percent increase, as the total crime volume in 2008 was only 62,148.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said “the figure does not necessarily reflect a worsening crime situation, but is actually the product of more efficient and accurate crime reporting” under the Integrated Transformation Program to develop more efficient police systems and procedures.

Director Raul Bacalzo, PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management, said the National Crime Reporting System (NCRS) is now being implemented in all PNP units to report crime incidents to the national headquarters for centralized recording.

Bacalzo said all PNP Units were required to submit the Unit Crime Periodic Report (UCPER) to the PNP headquarters for consolidation into the NCRS to effectively implement the new crime reporting system.

Bacalzo said the UCPER was designed to promote consistency in recording crime incidents and serve as an effective tool in deriving accurate assessment of the prevailing crime situation.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said the program was formulated in preparation for the adoption of a computer-based Crime Information System by 2010.

Verzosa noted the program would be efficient in arresting suspects through classification of cases, “whether solved with arrested suspects or those filed but with suspects still at large.”

“The Police Blotter remains the main source of crime data which is the working basis for policies and programs on various anti-criminality measures,” Bacalzo added.

He said the effectiveness of the policy is monitored through crime statistics, and significant changes in recording index crime incidents were noted with the inclusion of specific violations of special laws such as cattle rustling and vehicle theft. – With Mike Frialde