DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 3 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City’s crime incidents dropped by almost 25.27% from 554 total crime incidents in January to August 31, 2021 to 414 for the same period this year.

This was reported by City Chief-of-Police Lt. Col. Joeson Parallag during the quarterly meeting of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting.

Meanwhile, the City Bureau of Fire Protection reported that 10 fire incidents were logged from January to August 2022, with the estimated damage to property at P1,087,600.

City Fire Marshall Chief Inspector Marlon Chomling said this is lower than the 27 fire incidents reported in 2020 which resulted to P4.8 million in estimated damage to property, and 17 fire incidents in 2021 with P2.3 million estimated damage to property.

Fire officials said the recent fire in West City Elementary School was caused by an unattended electric fan that overheated.

Parallag also revealed that the number of incidents in eight focus crimes decreased by almost 50%, from 86 in January to August 31, 2021 to 43 for the same period in 2022.

Around 543.54 grams of illegal drugs worth P4.3 million were confiscated in 37 operations conducted from January to August 2022 with 40 suspects arrested.

For the same period, 20 loose firearms and one explosive were turned over to authorities with two persons arrested from the 23 police operations conducted in the same period this year.

A total of 613 Oplan Katok operations were conducted, resulting to the confiscation of 46 firearms in the same period.

A total of 203 persons with warrants, along with eight persons categorized as most wanted, were arrested during the 211 operations conducted by the Philippine National Police in Dumaguete City in the first eight months of this year. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from CPIO)