BCPO: Crime rate down by 23.32%

Based on recent data released by the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), criminal activity in the city dropped by 23.32 percent.

BCPO director, Police Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, said between January and November of this year, there were a total of 2,607 recorded incidents, lower than the 3,400 reported during the same period last year.

Data showed index crime, which includes murder, homicide, physical injury and rape, and crimes against property, dropped by eight percent; while non-index crime, which includes child abuse, illegal drugs, illegal firearms, traffic offenses, among other such cases, saw a

12.57 percent decline.

According to Ebreo, in that same time frame, a total of 615 drug personalities were arrested. The arrests resulted in 1,040 drug-related cases filed, along with the recovery of 2,504.089 grams of shabu worth P37,561,335 and 296.4857 grams of marijuana worth P68,191.711.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,006 individuals were arrested for illegal gambling, with 349 cases filed and P67,509.25 worth of suspected betting money confiscated.

In addition, 87 individuals were nabbed for illegal possession of firearms following 85 operations conducted in the BCPO campaign against loose firearms./