The crime index in Negros Occidental fell by 20 percent from January to July this year compared to the same period in 2024, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) reported on Thursday, August 14.
The police logged 1,987 crimes across the province from January 1 to July 31, down from 2,486 in the same period last year, a decline of 20.07 percent.
Crimes related to peace and order totaled 1,542, lower by 19.77 percent compared to last year’s 1,922, while public safety-related incidents dropped by 21.10 percent, from 564 to 445.
During a media briefing on Wednesday, NOCPPO Director Col. Rainerio De Chavez attributed the drop to the province’s sustained anti-criminality measures, including intensified checkpoints, targeted law enforcement operations, and the arrest of numerous wanted persons and suspects involved in the illegal drug trade and gambling.
He added that these efforts have also impacted the province’s eight focus crimes, which recorded 233 incidents in the first seven months of the year, a 26.96 percent drop from 319 cases in 2024.
From January to July this year, the breakdown of focus crimes includes 70 murders, 26 homicides, 12 cases of physical injury, 72 rape cases, 11 robberies, 32 thefts, 10 motorcycle thefts, and zero cases of vehicle carnapping.
The police said they aim to sustain the downward trend through continuous community engagement, intelligence-driven operations, and closer coordination with local government units.*