Crimes expected in highly urbanized cities, says Rama

MORE crimes are dire consequences for highly urbanized cities, said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama as he tried to explain the PNP report which put Cebu City as among the five cities in the country with the highest number of index crimes from 2010 to 2015.

This is why it’s also important for local government units like Cebu City to be able to retain its top police officials in order to ensure continuity of programs in combating crimes within their areas of responsibility, Rama said.

“It’s not that you have to be proud that crime will definitely be higher if a city is highly urbanized. Crime will definitely be higher because the city is now receiving all, including the undesirables, from other places,” Rama said yesterday.

He gave the comment in response to  the Philippine National Police (PNP) report on index crimes.

The PNP report showed that Cebu City had a total of 38,797 index crimes in the last six years, making it third all over the country following Quezon City (first with 65,514) and Manila City (second with 54,689).

On the other hand, Davao City was ranked fourth with 37,684 while Cagayan de Oro was fifth with 31,345 recorded index crimes.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, index crimes include murder, homicide, robbery, theft, rape, and physical injury among others.

“That’s why there is now a challenge: make it (city) safer, smart resilient and livable,” said Rama.

That’s why he emphasized the need not to remove a police chief.

Rama has been vocal against sudden transfer of police officials assigned as director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) over the past years  he’s been sitting as mayor.

He said these transfers are often done without sufficient reason and without consultation with the mayor which should have supervision, operation and control over the city’s police force.