Official incidents for eight crimes in the National Capital Region for the week has decreased year-on-year, the Philippine National Police’s National Capital Region Police Office reported Friday.
In a statement, NCRPO Director Camilo Cascolan said the average weekly crime rate under the eight focused crimes in Metro Manila has declined based on data monitoring recorded on May 14-20, compared to the same dates last year.
The offenses under the statistics are murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, car theft, and motorcycle theft.
The May 14-20 period is the lowest average weekly crime rate since the start of the Duterte administration.
Based on the Weekly Average Crime Trend monitoring conducted by the NCRPO Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, the Weekly Average Crime Rate of the eight focus crimes has decreased by 29.29 percent from 329 last year to 231 recorded incidents this year.
The NCRPO said the week year-on-year has seen murder and homicide decrease from 34 to 33 incidents, physical injury decline from 85 to 38 incidents, rape lower from 21 to 15, robbery down from 63 to 41, theft decrease from 103 to 95, car theft reduce from four to one, and motorcycle theft decrease from 19 to nine incidents.
“The NCRPO will continue its efforts in fulfilling our commitment to the Chief PNP, PDG Oscar D. Albayalde and to everyone, in making Metro Manila a safer place,” Cascolan said.
Albayalde earlier said an oversight committee will continue to regularly check on the progress of local commanders throughout the country to make sure they are reaching the organization’s target goals.
As this developed, the Southern Police District on Friday warned the people against members of “Ipit Gang” who victimize public transport passengers, particularly students, in Metro Manila as the opening of classes draws near.
Police described the Ipit Gang as a group of pickpockets whose modus is posing as commuters inside passenger buses, jeeps, and trains.
These gang members squeezed-in, operate in groups of three or four, shove or push a prospective victim to distract him or her, while their accomplice picks gadgets and wallets inside the vehicles.
On Thursday night, three members of the gang were arrested along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Pasay City.
SPD spokesperson Jenny Tecson identified the suspects as Michael Lapuz, 36, a laborer and resident of 4844 Molave Street, Old Sta. Mesa, Manila;”© Anton Bitoy, 33, pedicab driver and resident of 1090 Bulante, Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City; and Edwardo Solatorio, 45, a tricycle driver, of Bigpair, Malinao, also in Pasig City.
Investigation showed that the policemen P02 Rondel Asuncion and P01 Dexine Licudine, of Pasay City Police Community Precinct – 5 (PCP-5), were conducting mobile patrol operations in Malibay when they saw the victim Hector Villegas asking for assistance to arrest the suspects who took his mobile phone inside a passenger bus around 9:30 pm.
Recovered from the suspects were Villegas’ mobile phone and two bladed weapons.
The suspects are now detained at the PCP 5 jail and were charged with theft before the Pasay City Prosecutors Office.
Even if the cases of robbery and theft in Metro Manila are on its downtrend, SPD chief Tomas Apolinario wants the public to be more observant and alert at all times while inside a public transport.
