By Manilyn Ugalde
LEGAZPI CITY, (PNA) — With barely 150 policemen attending to the peace and order situation in this city, which is emerging as a convention and tourist hub, local lawmen have asked for an additional 200 cops to combat the alarming crime rate here.
This develop as reports showed that the Bicol region has registered its worst record in crimes against persons and property; with Legazpi in Albay province topping the list, followed by Naga City in Camarines Sur — most popularly known as the Heart of Bicolandia.
Albay province is among the host local government units of the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit sponsored by the Philippine government.
Legazpi City Mayor Noel E. Rosal said the city council had passed a resolution urgently requesting the Philippine National Police to beef up the number of police personnel, saying that city residents, the business community and prospective investors are worried about the already alarming peace and order situation in the city.
Supt. Roberto Morico, Legazpi City police chief, said 200 more cops would be necessary in combatting the rising crime volume.
In a hastily called Legazpi City Peace and Order Council meeting last week, Rosal said he was dismayed over reports that 779 crimes against persons and property were recorded during the past three quarters, which is 26 percent higher than last year’s record in the same period.
He lamented that of the overall total reported, only 55 cases were considered solved by the police.
“And to think that robbery, murder and homicide are major crimes hounding the city’s 70 barangays with 182,000 residents,” Rosal added.
According to PNP regional office statistics, crime volume was recorded at 10,105 incidences across the Bicol region for only a six-month period from January to June this year.
The figure is alarmingly 92 percent higher compared to the 5,267 crime volume recorded during same period last year.
In addition, the report said, Albay also topped the list in rape cases, with 51 reported; followed by Camarines Sur, 46; Sorsogon, 40; Catanduanes, 25;, Camarines Norte, 19; and Masbate, 13.
The crime statistics showed that with the 10,000 recorded crime volume committed during the first half of this year, the PNP Bicol admitted only 2,494 cases were considered solved or a crime solution efficiency rate of only 25 percent.