In 2022 polls compared to previous elections: Province logs fewer crimes

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Province was more peaceful in the 2022 election season compared to the two previous elections.

Based on records from the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), only 150 crime incidents were recorded from March 25 to May 10 in 2022. This is much lower than the 639 incidents recorded in the 2019 local elections and the 563 incidents recorded in the 2016 local and national elections.

Of the 150 crimes recorded in 2022 polls, 55 were incidents of theft,30 were incidents of physical injuries, 23 were robbery cases, 22 were rape cases, 12 were murder cases, four were homicide incidents, three were motorcycle theft, and one was a carnapping case.

Lt. Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, CPPO Deputy Director for Operations, attribute the drop in crime incidents to collaboration among law enforcement agencies, political candidates, committee members, and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

“This is the output sa preparations sa teams, gikan sa CPPO,” Sucalit said.

"I believe nga dili lang to ma-credit sa isa ka unit but this is the effort of all the teams kay medyo ang insidente, ang insidente nga natala, specifically election related incidents, wala gyud ta sa atoang AOR (area of responsibility). In fact, based sa feedback sa mga tawo, it is the safest election nga nahitabo sa Cebu Province,” Sucalit said.

To strengthen security preparations, CPPO received an augmentation force from the PNP regional training center on May 5 or four days before election day.

Personnel from the training center were deployed to various units and law enforcement agencies across the province.

In Cebu City, meanwhile, two incidents figured prominently in the 2022 election season – the ambush of Lt. Colonel Chuck Barandog, and his wife, Yvonne Caña, the first nominee of STL partylist, prior to the elections; and the shooting of barangay tanod Bryan Mabaga shortly before polls closed on election day.

Police have ruled that the ambush was not election-related as it was Barandog who may have been the main target and not his wife.

They also ruled out elections in the shooting of Mabaga and focused, instead, on drugs in their investigation.- JMO (FREEMAN)