Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (left) and CCPO Director Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, discuss the city’s crime rate among other topics during a news forum on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. | Wenilyn Sabalo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The crime rate in Cebu City has significantly declined in the past weeks, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said.
In a news forum on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, CCPO chief Police Col. Ireneo Dalogdog said the CCPO reported eight crime incidents from May 28 to June 3, 2023, from 17 crime incidents logged the previous week or from May 21 to May 27.
Among the eight focus crimes, he said, are theft, robbery, and physical injuries.
Dalogdog also reported a “significant” increase in the city police’s accomplishment in confiscating illegal drugs.
“For this year, our illegal drug operations have increased significantly. From only 566 (apprehensions) for the year 2022 of the same period, karon, 708 na for 2023,” Dalogdog said.
This translates to the confiscation of 23.45 kilograms of shabu from January to May 2023, compared to the 15.84 kilograms of shabu confiscated in the same period last year.
Dalogdog attributed the drop in the city’s crime rate to the strategies the CCPO implemented despite its lack of personnel.
He also highlighted the strong cooperation of the community.
The CCPO currently has a total of 1,189 personnel.
The number is far from the ideal police-to-population ratio in Cebu City.
With a population of around 1.5 million, Dalogdog said the CCPO should have at least 3,000 personnel.
“Kung ibase nato sa police-to-population ratio, murag naa ra ta karon sa 1:900 or 1:1000 which is dapat 1:500 lang,” he told reporters.
As this matter is still being addressed, Dalogdog said they have started implementing the Central Beat Patrolling System, which he called the “honest to goodness” police visibility patrolling.
Utilizing a crime situation map, Dalogdog said they had identified crime-prone areas and places for convergence, which they prioritized for police deployment.
These include the areas under the jurisdiction of police stations 1,2,3,4, and 5.
“Mao gyod ni siya ang pinaka sentro diri sa Cebu City nga kusog kaayo ang kaso sa robbery, shooting, theft. Ang gihimo karon from 8 am to 8pm visible jud ang mga kapolisan. Naa pa tay 11 ka elevated posts,” he said.
“Kaluoy sa Diyos, nag baba gyod ang atong crime incidence for the past 2 weeks,” he added.
The Central Beat Patrolling System was launched three weeks ago.
Dalogdog said they are also getting help from the existing force multipliers through the Task Force Kasaligan, whose members are paid by the city government in minimizing the city’s crime rate.
They also have an ongoing effort through the chief of each police station in the city to tap business establishments and companies to help prevent and report criminality.
“At the same time, kaning mga habal habal drivers, one program sa PRO 7 director nga kining gitawag nga ‘bystandership’ nga katong mga grupo sa mga habal habal drivers, grupo sa mga van or uban pa nga mga transport sectors, kinahanglan ato silang ma organize kay kini sila makatabang gihapon ni sa peace and order sa Cebu City,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked, Dalogdog agreed that additional motorcycles could help boost response time.
At least three motorcycles per station, or at least 40 motorcycles in total, he said, could already be a massive help to the city’s police force in keeping the crime rate low.
”Kanang giingon nato nga 5-minute response time, okay na siya ma address gyod na siya kay naa naman tay mga personnel nga madeploy mismo sa field…Pero, what if, halimbawa, ang krimen mahitabo didto sa may area sa Mambaling, naa gihapon tay mga kuan didto pero sa kadako sa area, unya kabalo ta nga ang Cebu City is napakatraffic, so pag motorcycle murag mas medyo mapabilis ang atoang police response time,” he added.
Government support
Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who also attended the news forum on Tuesday, said this is feasible, and the city government is willing to provide this support to the city police to help them decrease the crime rate.
“Do not abuse me, tap me, because I have intelligence funds, I have discretionary funds, and all the funds nga available for professionalization sa atong police is a highlighted matter under our administration,” he said.
“I was telling him (Dalogdog): sit down with Philip Zafra (head of the city’s peace and order committee) and bring it to me and I will sign it so that the purchase and procurement will follow,” he added. /rcg
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