The director of the Davao City Police and 19 station commanders were sacked from their posts over what top police officials described as highlighting severe discrepancies in crime statistics and inadequate police response times.
The decision was made by Police Regional Office 11 director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III after a review of the crime statistics in Davao City which allegedly revealed 22 killings and 41 rape cases from January to May this year.
Police Maj. Catherine Dela Rey, PRO-11 spokesperson said the reassignment of officers was part of the ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the local police force.
"The reassignment of officers is a crucial part of our duty to ensure that our police force remains dynamic and responsive to the needs of the community," said Dela Rey.
In a press statement posted on the official Facebook page of the regional office on July 1, Torre disclosed that the killings and rape data translates to one killing and two rapes per week for the 22 weeks covered by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) report.
Torre said the DCPO report suggests a community where killings occur seven times more frequently than physical assaults, which is inconsistent with Davao City's reputation as a very safe city.
He said they discovered that some police officials kept two police blotters where one is sanitized so as not to reflect the real situation in a particular area of responsibility.
Torre emphasized the importance of accurate crime reporting and recording to understand the true peace and order situation.
He pointed out that physical injuries are often precursors to more serious crimes, and if not properly addressed, they can lead to killings.
Most of the killings reported were motivated by personal grudges, with previous violent incidents between suspects and victims.
Torre also emphasized the need to observe the 3-minute response time and the proper use of communication equipment and maintain strict supervision to enhance their response capabilities.