Pangasinan more peaceful this year – Police
LINGAYEN–Citing statistics, the police refuted the perception in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) that there is an alarming increase in the number of crimes, particularly shooting incidents in the province.
Senior Supt. Rosueto Ricaforte, police provincial director, has been invited by the SP but has yet to appear before the council, but his spokesman, Superintendent Geraldo Roxas, told the media on Thursday there is really no cause for alarm as the province is “more peaceful this year than in 2010”.
Roxas, concurrently chief of police-community relations, said 120 shooting incidents were registered by the police from January to August 24 this year, lower than the 173 in the same period last year.
Of the 120 crimes recorded, at least 30 were perpetrated by armed men riding motorcycles in tandem compared to 39 registered over the same period last year.
Ninety of the shooting incidents have been solved this year as compared to 84 last year.
Roxas noted that the crime solution efficiency this year is much higher even as the crime incidents were lower.
Roxas attributed the improved peace and order situation to more police visibility, setting up of police checkpoints 24/7, intensified investigation of cases, as well as community participation in crime prevention.
Lawmen have been getting assistance from the Barangay Action Peace-keeping Teams as well as other force multipliers.
Crime incidents were highlighted in Pangasinan this month because of the slaying of retired Regional Trial Court Judge Corazon Merrera in Dagupan City and retired National Bureau of Investigation Director Leonardo Jimenez Jr. in Aguilar town.
Roxas, however, pointed out that the slaying of Merrera has been solved and the perpetrators, who were her own house helpers, were already arrested and charged.
On the other hand, the slaying of Jimenez is being attributed to land dispute and is still being investigated by a joint team from the police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Roxas said the crime situation in the province is far from alarming and that many incidents were usually due to old grudge, jealousy, love triangle and other personal motives.
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