DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, August 16 (PIA) -- The Police Provincial Office of Negros Oriental has reported that the province's crime rate has dropped by 29.9% or 1,121 crimes from January to July 2022 compared to the same period of last year.

The eight focused crimes or index crimes - which include carnapping of motorcycle and motor vehicle, murder, physical injury, rape, and theft - have decreased by 19.8% or 70 cases, except homicide with 12 incidents and three robberies, the police reported in a Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting.

The crime volume is composed of 353 index crimes and 2,134 non-index crimes.

For non-index crimes or offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Laws such as enforcement on Republic Act 9165 or Anti-Illegal Drugs campaign, 195 drug personalities were arrested and 5,355.94 grams of shabu were seized with a total value of more than P36,420,392 million.

Under Republic Act 9287 or the campaign against illegal gambling, the police arrested 1,028 persons with total bet money confiscated at P90,194.5.

For the campaign against loose firearms or R.A. 8294, the police arrested 80 persons and seized/recovered 783 firearms.

Pursuant to the goal of bringing government services closer to the people, the Philippine National Police in the province led a "Serbisyo Caravan" under the Retooled Community Support Program which has reached various barangays identified as ELCAC or end local communist armed conflict areas on May 1 and August 2 this year. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)