TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - The total number of crimes recorded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Command 2 in the second quarter of this year has decreased by 22.3 percent from 4,372 to 3,397 in the same period last year. 

Police Colonel Edward Guzman, deputy regional director for operations, presented that Cagayan province has the highest crime incidents with 1,462; followed by Isabela with 1,173; Nueva Vizcaya with 493; Santiago City with 230; Quirino with 35, while Batanes had 4 recorded cases. 

He also said that there were 186 index crimes, in which rape cases registered as the highest under crimes against persons with 59, or 31.72 percent of the total, followed by murder with 33, or 17.74 percent, physical injury with 24, or 12.90 percent, and homicide with nine, or 4.85 percent. 

On crimes against property, there were 32 cases of theft, or 17.20 percent of the total, and 17 robbery cases, or 9.14 percent. There were also 11 motorcycle and one vehicle carnapping cases recorded. 

Guzman further said that even the non-index crimes have also decreased by 31.67 percent, from 3,676 in the same period of last year, to 2,574. 

"However, special laws which include protocols on COVID-19 remain to be the highest contributor in our incident reports, covering 97.14 percent. This means that there are still many violators of the [health and safety] protocols set by the government," Guzman said. 

He said that the decrease in the number of criminal cases is attributed to the strengthened surveillance and monitoring of police officers in the different municipalities, as well as the cooperation of the locals and officials. (JKC/OTB/PIA Cagayan)