DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Jan. 19 (PIA) -- The local Philippine National Police (PNP) has reported that the number of crime incidents in 2021 declined by 27.30% compared to that in 2020 in the city.

This is attributed to the intensified campaign by the local police and the Dumaguete City government against all forms of criminality. 

Dumaguete City Police Station Acting Chief-of-Police Lt. Col. Joeson Parallag reported a total of 791 crime incidents from January to December 2021, lower than the 1,088 cases reported in the same period in 2020.

Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo lauded Lt. Col. Parallag, his personnel, and allied anti-crime organizations for their commitment to service and fine performance that contributed to the significant drop in the number of crime incidents.

For the comparative statistics of the eight focus crimes, the number of murder cases dropped to just one in 2021 compared to nine in 2021, 11 in 202,  and no cases of carnapping and motornapping in 2021.   

However, rape incidents increased to 18 incidents in 2021 from eight in 2020, 61 theft cases in 2021 compared to 53 in 2020,  and one homicide case in 2021 while none was reported in 2020.

Police authorities also conducted 96 anti-illegal drugs operations in 2021, resulting to the arrest of 99 suspects and the confiscation of 4,634.75 kilograms of illegal drugs with Dangerous Drugs Board value pegged at P 31.5 million.

About 337 persons were also arrested in 110 anti-illegal gambling operations in 2021.

Meanwhile, under the campaign against loose firearms, 16 were confiscated along with the arrest of three suspects while 749 operations conducted under Oplan Katok also resulted to the surrender of 166 firearms.

A total of 110 wanted persons and 10 others tagged as Most Wanted Persons were arrested during the 120 operations conducted in the year 2021.

Parallag assured Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo that with the continued funding support from the city government, more special police operations will be conducted like Oplan Marvel, Oplan Katok, Oplan Bakal/Sita, Synchronized Barangay Patrolling and Static Checkpoints will be conducted to further prevent the commission of crimes and the apprehension of law breakers to sustain their accomplishments in 2021. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from CPIO)