Incidents of murder may have increased by 25 percent, but the total crime volume in Negros Occidental last year decreased by almost eight percent, compared to 2006, police records show.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office recorded 80 murder cases in 2007, compared to 50 in 2006, of which prominent were the lingering agrarian reform-related violence, especially in the controversial Hacienda Malaga-Velez property in La Castellana, ambush-slay of a barangay kagawad in Escalante City , and the failed ambush of Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, however, said he has already ordered all police chiefs to exert extra efforts to solve other cases in their areas that totaled 20 last year.

Police records also showed the crime volume, which was registered at 730 last year, went down from 791 in 2006, which reduction is equivalent to 7.71 percent, or 61 incidents.

NOPPO records indicated a similar trend in the reduction of index crimes, known as crimes against person and property, by 19 incidents, from 458 in 2006 to 439 last year, as well as non-index crimes, or implementation of special laws such as illegal gambling, and campaign against drugs and unlicensed guns, among others, from 333 to 291.

Franco said the average monthly crime rate for 2007 registered was 2.8 person per 100,000 population, which is lower by 0.24 compared to 2006, at 3.04.

On the other hand, the crime solution efficiency registered at 97 percent.

He also reported the neutralization of 10 of the 12 organized crime groups engaged in robbery, cattle-rustling, gun-for-hire and gunrunning activities.

NOPPO records also showed that 552 of the 826 persons with pending arrest warrants were apprehended, while 270 remains at –large as of this time.

In the campaign against loose firearms, 150 were recovered in police operations, including the 17 guns voluntarily surrendered by their owners, to avail of the government's Balik-Baril program, while 154 persons were apprehended for illegal possession of firearms.

The 43 anti-drug operations in 2007 also led to the arrest of 58 drug users and peddlers, as well as the confiscation of 92.85 grams of suspected shabu, 2.2 kilos of dired marijuana leaves with an estimated market value of P275,560.

In 74 anti-gambling operations, 190 persons were also arrested and the police recovered P21,293, 75 in alleged cash bets, including assorted illegal gambling paraphernalia.

Forty-two persons were also arrested for violation of Presidential Decree 705, or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines , which also led to the confiscation of 8, 015 board feet of lumber, 1,238 sacks of charcoal, which filing of cases were referred to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

One-hundred ten fishermen were also apprehended and fined for illegal fishing.*GPB

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