Crime solution rate in Manila improving
Credit to Author: Joshua Vera Cruz| Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2019 16:13:22 +0000
There was a 20-percent increase in crime solution rate in 2019 in Manila compared to the previous year, according to the Manila Police District (MPD).
Lt. Col. Carlo Magno Manuel, MPD spokesman, this week said of the recorded crimes this
year, nearly 90 percent were solved compared to 2018’s 70-percent solution rate.
The recorded crimes were those committed against property and against persons.
“There were particular crimes that went up and some that went down, but the important part is the increase in our crime solution efficiency,” Manuel said in Filipino.
According to the MPD spokesman, crimes against property rose because of the lack of police visibility inside private establishments such as malls, especially during the onset of the Christmas season.
Crimes against property include burglary, theft, pickpocketing, car theft, shoplifting and vandalism.
“We don’t have much hold on this since these malls are private and are manned by private security guards. So our police visibility there is very limited,” Manuel said.
But, he pointed out, the police can control crimes against property.
For a crime to transpire, Manuel explained, three factors should be present: motive, suspects’ capability and opportunity.
Recent police interventions, he said, aimed to remove the suspects’ opportunity by adopting a “surgical approach” to police deployment.
“It all starts with a study of prevalent crimes in the area, where they happen and around what time they happen,” Manuel added in Filipino.
Based on previous recorded cases, the MPD has determined that snatching is one of the prevalent crimes that takes place on Recto Avenue and Rizal Avenue in downtown Manila between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. or the “crime clock.”
“Noong araw, full compliance lang at ide-deploy ang police without knowing na ang dami palang nangyayari sa madaling araw (Back then, we just deployed our police force without knowing that there are a lot of crimes happening at dawn),” Manuel said.
As part of police intervention today, he added, the force is deployed to watch the crime clock.
The MPD spokesman urged the public to keep a keen eye on suspicious individuals in their community and report their activities to authorities.
“We are calling for the help of the public in reporting suspicious individuals in their immediate vicinity,” he said.
Manuel also appealed to the public to report crooked policemen, assuring that identities of informants will be kept strictly confidential.
“In that manner, the public can help us in maintaining peace and order in the community,” he said.