Threat of crime remains but PNP cites prevention efforts

ACCORDING TO the statistics of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from January to October 2018, crime volume nationwide decreased to 390,358 or 13.06% lower than the 448,982 of the same period last year.

In contrast, a third-quarter survey on crime by the Social Weather Stations, conducted on September 15-23, found 6.1% (est. 1.4 million) of families reporting victimization by any of the common crimes (pickpocket or robbery of personal property, break-ins, carnapping, and physical violence) within the past six months. This latest figure is 0.7 point above the 5.3% (est. 1.2 million) in June 2018, and the same as the 6.1% in September 2017, the polling group said.
The PNP defines crime volume as the total number of index and non-index crimes in a given year or a certain period therein. Index crimes pertain to murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, and crimes against property (robbery, theft, carjacking, and cattle rusting), while non-index crimes pertain to violations of special laws and ordinances.
There was a decline in these two classifications of crime, according to the PNP, with index crimes dropping 30.90% to 64,301, compared to 93,050 in the 2017 period. Non-index crimes dropped to 326,057 as of October, 8.39% lower than the previous year’s 355,932.
The September survey of SWS, on the other hand, found 5.6% (est. 1.3 million) of families reporting victimization by any of the property crimes (pickpocket or street robbery, burglary or break-ins, and carjacking) within the past six months, 0.5 point above the 5.1% (est. 1.2 million) in June 2018, but below the 6.1% in March 2018.
The survey also found 0.7% (est. 159,000) of families with members hurt by physical violence within the past six months, up 0.5 point from the record-low 0.2% (est. 45,000) in June 2018.
To be sure, victimization by common crimes reported in the surveys is much higher than the number of crimes actually reported to the police, SWS said.
“Nakikita namin d’un sa (We see in our figures our) intensified campaign against illegal drugs,” said Chief Supt. Benigno B. Durana Jr., PNP Spokesperson at the time he was interviewed on Nov. 22.
We based [this on] our survey and also from our experience in the field that most of the crimes, especially crimes against property (are) drug-related. So, if we address the cause, the causative factors of crimes in locality, more or less we can reduce also some other incidences of crime like murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motorcycle and vehicles, cattle rustling.”
“Naniniwala kami na (We believe that) the cousin of drug addiction is theft, they need to sustain their destructive habits on a regular basis. Not all people have the money to buy drugs on a daily basis. So, what they do is they resort to petty crimes or sometimes bigger crimes,” Mr. Durana also said, adding that “small crime incidents… if not being addressed immediately can result (in) full-blown crimes.”
POLICE VISIBILITY
In response to the SWS survey, PNP Chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde said in a statement on Dec. 2, “The slight increase in the number of Filipinos who fell victims to crime over the past three months can be attributed to the holiday season and a greater confidence of citizens to report crime to the police.”
“There are certain crime types that are ‘seasonal’ in terms of frequency which become more prevalent when the element of opportunity is present such as during the holiday season when the objects of crime abound,” Mr. Albayalde also said.
Mr. Durana for his part said, “We have improved our capability in terms of knowledge and expertise….The President gave us a huge amount of funds to purchase tools to solve crimes, that’s one. At the same time, siguro motivated naman ang kapulisan kasi mataas naman sahod nila (At the same time, our policemen are probably motivated by their higher salaries now). Also, there’s now greater cooperation among the public in helping the police solve crimes.”
Mr. Durana also cited “police visibility, police patrol, law enforcement operations,…checkpoint operation para ma-reduce ang oportunidad ng mga kriminal na mag-commit ng crime (to reduce the opportunity of criminals to commit crimes).”
“Ano ba ang instrument to commit a crime? Baril, diba (Having a gun, right)? Kaya meron tayong Oplan Bakal, Oplan Sita, Oplan Galugad (That’s why we have these Operation Plans) to remove the instrumentality to commit crime. Kasi kapag wala naman silang instrument like firearms, blade weapons and among others, they will not perpetuate the crimes. Baka magsuntukan lang sila (They might just punch each other),” he said.
“Number one ‘yan na instrument….We have millions of loose firearms in the country, that’s why we have toughened our firearms law.”
It has been a common presumption in any discussion on crimes that firearms purchases are impelled by the need for self-defense.
In that regard, Mary Jane Nacisvalencia-Roxas, owner of NASHE Enterprises, said, “More on security and prevention tayo ng (of) crime, so mas nag-increase pa nga (So, sales event went up). Kasi (Because) they want to secure their families, their lives. Tapos (And) as part of the improvement ng country, kailangan ng protection din (protection is needed),” Ms. Roxas said in an interview on Nov. 17.
There are also the expenses that go with owning a gun. “Usually (our clients are) people who can afford it because guns here in the Philippines are expensive,” said a store owner who was sought for comment but declined to be named. “Kung titignan mo ‘yung mga baril dito compared to US (If you look at prices here compared to the US), you can buy (a gun) for only $200- $300. That’s P15,000. Pero dito (But here), you need to have at least P50,000 to P60,000 or more. It can range up to P400,000. Mahal magkabaril dito (It’s expensive to own a gun here). Mahal magka-lisensya dito (It’s expensive to get a license). You have to go through neuropsychiatric test, drug test, you have to get NBI clearance, (other) clearances.”
Also sought for comment, Art F. Lantin, owner of Lantin Custom Gun Shop, said the process of getting a license affects the number of people who want their guns customized according to law.
“Na-apektuhan halos lahat ng [nasa] gun industry (Almost everyone in the gun industry is affected),” Mr. Lantin said. “Nahirapan yung mga firearm holder na magdala ng baril sa mga gunsmiths para mapa-enhance nila (Firearm owners have a hard time bringing their guns to gunsmiths for enhancement).”
TRAINING, FOCUS ON PETTY CRIMES
Sought for comment about the peace and order situation, chairperson Dennis C. Coronacion of the Political Science Department of the University of Santo Tomas said in an interview on Nov. 22, “Unang una (First of all), I think they (PNP personnel) have to improve ‘yung policing their own ranks. Meron naman silang internal audit (They have an internal audit process).…There’s an office that monitors the behavior of police officers. Pero (But) I think that is not enough. If possible, more funds, more resources should be allotted to internal audit of the PNP, sana may ganun (one wishes there were).”
“And then, more seminars, more trainings…on how to combat illegal drugs. Ang kadalasan dahilan kung bakit nadi-dismiss ang kaso na sinampa ng gobyerno laban sa mga drug pushers eh hindi kasi ma-handle ng maigi ‘yung evidence at particular diyan ang ating batas….(One reason why cases filed against drug pushers are dismissed is because they [the police] cannot handle the evidence well and the law is very particular on that).”
Mr. Coronacion added, “As a police officer who arrested [or] who joined the raid, if you fail to follow these procedures, chances are the case will be dismissed.”
“Hindi naman kinakailangan maging lawyer ang mga police officers natin, kundi hasain sila on criminal procedures (Our police officers needn’t be lawyers, just be familiar with criminal procedures).” Hindi lang sila dapat i-training din sa combat tactics (They should be trained not only in combat tactics).…They should be also trained in other aspects of their job.”
Mr. Durana for his part said, “We made a lot of accomplishment especially in our campaign against illegal drugs and internal cleansing. As data showed, we brought down the incidents of crime by 13% overall. But there is a huge decrease in the number of index crimes compared to last year. We have now capability in terms of knowledge and skills and tools to do our job. Medyo nag-increase ‘yun kaya (That has somewhat improved, so) we have an improved crime clearance efficiency and crime solution efficiency.”
“Plus we have greater support now from our public, 78% of Filipinos approve our campaign against illegal drugs. It was even considered as the most important achievement of the Duterte administration.”
Mr. Durana also said, “I think we should focus more other than drugs, but also on petty crimes, crimes that affect most of the Filipino people. We should focus more on harm reduction, we [should also] focus more on cybercrimes, plus intensify campaign on internal cleansing.” — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras