Taguig crime rate plunges 45% this year

Police commended for top-notch job

Crime rate in Taguig City took a significant dive by 45% for the first six months of 2015 from last year’s figures.

 This was according to Taguig City police records which indicate that total crime volume reported for the first half of 2014 was at 2,186, or with an average crime rate of 56.53%, while latest crime statistics for January to June of this year showed a crime volume of 970, or with an average crime rate of only 11.39%.

 Mayor Lani Cayetano hailed the Taguig police for outstanding work in keeping the peace in the city.

 “As we all know, there can be no development, economic or otherwise, without peace and order. It is the very cornerstone of progress that we now have in our city,” Mayor Lani pointed out upon learning of the latest crime data.

 Taguig City police chief Sr. Supt. Arthur Felix Asis, for his part, said the sharp decline in crime rate was due to intensified police operations and police visibility all over the city, coupled with the support of the local government and citizenry .

 In 2014, the Taguig police recorded a total of 113 cases of carnapping, 650 cases of theft and 216 cases of robbery for the first six months.

 According to Asis, these numbers went down during the same period this year, with only 34 cases of carnapping, 117 cases of theft and 67 cases of robbery.

 He said most of these cases are either solved or cleared, meaning majority of the suspects had been identified, arrested, placed behind bars and charged in court.

 Mayor Lani also lauded the community for the decreased crime rate, saying that while the police had the primary role of law enforcement, it is really a collective effort among stakeholders in maintaining peace and order.

 In particular, the local chief executive mentioned the participation of barangay leaders, volunteer organizations and other force multipliers in the city’s anti-crime drive.

 “Our policemen are capable but they are more efficient when these volunteer groups and barangay leaders lend a helping hand especially in solving and preventing crimes,” Mayor Lani said.

Equipping the Local Police Force

Asis said the efficiency of the Taguig City police was also owing to the systematic and long-term approach of the government against criminality.

 He said about 19 brand new patrol vehicles had been added to the mobile patrol fleet in Taguig months after Mayor Lani  took over the city, which made  patrol and police visibility more frequent and consistent.

 He said the city government also equipped policemen with the knowledge they need through masteral and scholarship grants for them and their children. Policemen who have been assigned in Taguig for three years can avail of the grant. They are given a maximum of P60,000 per term for their educational enrichment program.

To make the police a well-oiled machine, the city government also increased the allowance of policemen, especially those assigned in the frontline against crime.

In 2014, the city government raised the monthly allowance of Taguig policemen from P1,000 to P3,000 a month.

Fruits of Support

Recently, four of the city’s most wanted people were arrested by the Taguig City police in series of separate police operations.

Police officials captured the suspects listed as the No. 2, No. 5, No. 7 and No. 8 most wanted criminals in Taguig and filed charges againts them in court. ###