Crime volume in the first 25 days of December goes down by over 31%- PNP
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded more than 31 percent decline in crime volume from Dec. 1 until Christmas Day.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said that from 2,975 cases from December 1-25 last year, it went down to 2,094 this year.
He explained that the decline in crime volume is notable especially that in the past, crime volume usually goes up during "ber" months, especially on the days leading to the Christmas Day.
Azurin said a huge decline in crime volume was also recorded since Dec. 16, or the start of the nine-day "Simbang Gabi", until Christmas Day.
"The past ten days ushering Christmas Day had been generally peaceful throughout the country with no major untoward incident reported by Police Regional Offices.This encompasses the entire period of the 9-day “Simbang Gabi” or the Novena masses that were similarly peaceful and orderly under the watchful presence of police patrollers," said Azurin.
"The PNPs deployment of 85 percent of personnel to the different transportation hubs, seaports, airports, business establishments, and other places of convergence resulted to the peaceful means of peoples’ celebration of Christmas," he added.
The PNP leadership placed its forces across the country under highest alert for the Yuletide season.
Azurin said the PNP will be on alert and vigilant until the end of Yuletide season, specially when millions of people start to go back to school and work next month.