The Christmas celebration in Western Visayas was generally peaceful with the crime rate down by 35 percent compared to the same period last year, the Police Regional Office-6 reported on Friday, Dec. 27.
The observance of Christmas in the region was general peaceful based on their monitoring from Dec. 16 to 25, the PRO 6 said.
There were 484 crime incidents, which were 35.12 percent or 262 lower compared to the 746 in the same period last year, it said.
The eight focus crimes for the period also logged 24 incidents from 102 incidents last year or a decrease by 78 incidents or 76.47 percent.
The eight focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor-vehicle and carnapping of motorcycle.
BGen. Jack Wanky, PRO-6 Director, commended all unit commanders for their dedication and for the intensified crime prevention and suppression efforts to ensure that the community is safe.
The security plan crafted in relation to the intensified police operation to ensure the safety and security of the people of Western Visayas during the Yuletide and New year’s celebration will be in effect until January 2025, PRO-6 added.*