H After eight months or erratic behavior, total crimes in Bohol sag to its lowest monthly average at 469, a few days after a tested anti-organized crime czar takes over the top seat at Camp Dagohoy. In a presentation to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) during its meeting Sept. 17 at the Reynas Garden in Cogon, newly assumed Camp Dagohoy top cop, Provincial Director (PD) Col. Dennis P. Agustin showed a comparative graph that detailed crime differences in Bohol in the last two months. Total crimes in Bohol in July reached 565 while by August, the figure dipped to 469, or some 96 crimes less, Col. Agustin pointed out. Among all the crimes, theft, which figures out more prominently as among the top committed crimes within the beginning months, also saw a down-trend of just 87 from an 8-month high, highlighted by cases in June which reached 140.

August also brought in lowest cases for physical injuries, which normally reaches more than a hundred monthly average. Physical injuries in August reached only 73 compared to 138 cases high in May of this year. Police authorities however said physical injuries figured high since it also entails motor vehicle accidents, which usually happens considering Bohol’s tempting well paved roads pushing speed-devils to floor it. Under PSSupt Agustin however, drug and illegal gambling personalities start feeling the pressure as police stations, aided by a newly organized Task Force Sandiganan, deals operations which hit targets with tactical precision. Camp Dagohoy reports that the month found police recovering some 49.82 grams of shabu in 17 Oplan Banat operations and resulting to the arrest of 30 persons and filing of 29 cases.

The arrest through a buy-bust operations of a notorious drug pusher, Aquilina Flores Subrado of Tubigon town highlights police anti-drug accomplishments with a 41.95 grams of drugs confiscated. All in all, at the current street price of P5,000 per grams of shabu or methampethamine hydrochloride, easily Bohol police elements kept off the streets some P250,000 worth of dangerous drugs, points out Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio III, during the meeting. Meanwhile, Crimes, “index” and “non-index,” in the province have been reduced during August but average 21.27 per day since January till August this year, police records showed. A total of 4,511 crimes committed in towns and this city are posted in the police record during the eight-month period (January- August) this year. A total of 629, the highest, occurred during the month of April, based on the report of Col. Dennis Agustin during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting last week presided over by Gov. Edgar Chatto.

The month of January has total of 556; February, 530; March, 657; May, 601; June, 504; July, 565; and August, 469, the lowest so far, PNP report said. Robbery had a total of 53 during August. The lowest was 28 during the month of July. January posted a total of 52; February, 42; March, 71; April, 64; May, 49; and June, 52, the report showed. A total of 87 theft cases were registered during August and the highest, 140 in June; January, 124; February, 101; March, 129; April, 105; May, 108; and July, 90. Physical injuries had a total of 73 during August. The highest was 138 during May. January, 124; February, 89; March, 126; April, 128; June, 96 and July, 75. Non-index crimes are also on the downtrend with 232 during the month of August. The highest was 352 during July. January’s total, 228; February, 270; March, 299; April, 290; May, 259; and June, 181, police said. “Other non-index” crimes were high during the month of March with 358. January posted a total of 330; February, 260; April, 339; May, 342; June, 213; July, 213; and August, 237. (Rey Anthony Chiu and Ric Obedencio)

PPOC-Bohol tackles security, activism issues

Governor Edgar Chatto has encouraged the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) members to launch a concerted action in monitoring the province especially in the coastal and mountain barangays. “We should have a conscious effort in seeing to it that any movements of armed people that we feel aren’t natural in the place or suspicious must be reported immediately,” the governor said. The crisis in Zamboanga has no specific threat to the province, but a cautious approach to this situation is very much necessary and in order. P/SSupt. Dennis Palo Agustin, Provincial Director in the Bohol Provincial Police Office, reported that there was a significant drop in the crime rates in the province from July to August. Agustin also reported their accomplishments on their various initiatives, such as the Oplan Paglalansag, campaign against loose firearms, Oplan Tracker which deals on most wanted person, Oplan Roulette which deals on illegal gambling and Oplan Kalikasan which campaign against the unlawful destruction of natural resources.

For his part, City Mayor Baba Yap thanked the provincial government for conducting police operations in the city. The mayor also reported the rampant cell phone snatching in the city. As a response, the city has conducted checkpoints every night. The City has also reinstated 200 purok tanods. Yap also reiterated the need to build a new police station which would be located near the city hall. He recognized the support of the provincial government for continuously assisting the city in their development initiatives. Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Julius Tomines, 2nd Special Forces Batallion Commander from the Philippine Army, gave the internal security situation in the province. Tomines highlighted the rally that on Sept. 9 led by Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon (Humabol), a non-government organization which advocates the rights and welfare of farmers. Tomines said that the rally used children as barricades.

Carmelita Tecson, Provincial Social Welfare Officer, aired out her concern about children being used in rallies. Tecson further noted that granting of permits to groups should be strict. Further, these groups should be black-listed if they have violated any existing laws. Yap said the permit was granted on the basis that they will stick to the rules, which is to focus only on their topic of commemorating the death of their former chairman, Victor Olayvar. But as it has turned out, the group talked about PDAF, criticized the programs of the provincial government and then used children as human shields. Yap emphasized that the city will impose strict rules on granting of permits in the future and monitoring control will also be implemented. Romeo Teruel, Provincial Coordinator, said that a complaint should be lodged against the NGO. But Atty. Emmanuel Tumanda of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) warned the body that the group might just receive an undue publicity and eventually elevate them to public perception.

Teruel stated that, “If we sleep on our rights, we are giving them the chance to abuse our right. On the question whether by lodging a complaint they would be put in the limelight, the question will be: Is it positive or negative publicity? If we keep silent now, we are giving them the go signal to continue with their activities. I’m still in the opinion that we should lodge a complaint, so that the proper authorities could act on it.” Chatto said the groups were clearly identified already, the provincial government knows which particular areas the children came from. The governor stressed that the social development teams will approach members of this group and make sure that the message of social and countryside development will be explained to them. The team could also provide an avenue where these groups could raise their concerns.