Police note peaceful celebration of Lenten season, especially in Metro Manila

By Ronron
April 10, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) noted a peaceful celebration of the Lenten season in the country, especially in Metro Manila, citing fewer incidents of crime reported to authorities.

“The Lenten season was generally peaceful. There were no untoward incidents, except for two cases. The first happened last Black Saturday involving Army troopers in Sulu, and the attack of the NPA (New People’s Army) at the Davao Penal Colony on Sunday,” PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, Jr. said during Tuesday’s regular media forum at Camp Crame.

He said Metro Manila, in particular, was very quiet and peaceful during the Holy Week celebration, traffic became even “exceptionally good.”

According to a report released by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, the period of April 2 – 8, 2007 only posted 345 crimes committed in Metro Manila.

It was fewer by nine incidents during the Holy Week in 2006.

Crimes against persons in particular decreased by 31.3 percent, from 83 in 2006 to 57 this year. Only six cases of murder were reported as against 10 last year; seven homicide cases compared to last year’s nine; and 39 cases of physical injuries compared to 61 last year. Only the crime of rape increased, from three last year to five this year.

Crimes against persons also dipped by 18.25 percent, as robbery cases decreased by 14.3 percent and theft by 21.5 percent.

“The decrease in crime incidents in Metro Manila is just but expected. Since a lot of Metro Manila residents leave fro the provinces to spend time with their families while on a vacation or to join religious rites or festivities, the economic activities in the metropolitan area are considerably lessened, thereby removing most opportunities for crime to be committed,” said the report.

It also credited the PNP security measures, such as the doubling-up of checkpoints, and the conduct of joint patrols by the local police, barangay tanods and other civilian volunteer organizations, and the local government units.

“The joint visibility patrols give assurance to Metro Manila residents that their houses are safe from akyat-bahay, looters, and other criminals. The round-the-clock checkpoint operation, on the other hand, is the primary deterrent against hold-uppers, robbery suspects on motorcycles, and other criminal elements that might be moving around the metropolis,” the report explained.

Razon said that with Holy Week already over, the PNP can now focus again all of its efforts to the upcoming mid-term election on May 14th./DMS