Rape cases in Oriental Negros drastically went down in 2005, a report said from the provincial Women and Children's Concerns Desk of the Philippine National Police at Camp Fernandez, Agan-an, Sibulan town, Oriental Negros showed.

Sr. Inspector Rosalinda Abellon, heads of the Police Community Relations office in Camp Fernandez, said the decline was due to massive advocacy on the provisions of the new law which penalizes violence against women and children, or Republic Act 9262. Last year, only 57 rape cases were reported, 49 against children and 8 against adults.

Of the 49 rape incidents against minors, 9 were incest rape, records showed.

Abellon said last year's record is a significant improvement compared to 2004, where Negros Oriental topped the entire Region 7 in the number of rape incidents.

The provincial women's desk has also noted a significant decline in wife battering cases. It has also received reports of husbands being mauled by their wives.

But this will not fall under RA 9262, but under the Revised Penal Code, Abellon said.

Meanwhile, a resident of Oracion Drive in Barangay Looc, Dumaguete City, was the first suspect nabbed by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations Task Group formed by police provincial director, Sr. Supt. Melvin Buenafe.

Arrested in a buy-bust operation was Alan Blanca, 31, single of Oracion Drive. Confiscated from his possession was one sachet of shabu and the marked money, according to task group member PO1 Serito Ogy. The suspect declined any interview.

The PAID-OTG is headed by Police Supt. Mohiden Balimbingan with composite members from different law enforcement agencies in the province.*RG

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