Crime stats in C. Visayas for 3rd qrtr continues
to decline for past 3 years, PNP-7 says
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, November 4 (PIA) -- For the past three years, crime statistics in Central Visayas for the 3rd quarter alone from 2009 to 2011 continues to decline, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 reported.
S/Supt.Mariano Natuel, PRO 7 chief of the Regional Investigative and Detective Management Division presented the crime volume statistics for the period July to September from 2009, 2010 and 2011. The figures showed that for the 3rd quarter of 2009, there were 9,359 crimes recorded which decreased to 8,081 crimes the following year of the same period and in 2011, only 6,344 crimes were reported which again, registered a cut in crime volume for the 3rd quarter.
“As you can see, 3rd quarter crime statistics in 2009 to 2010 registered a 13.66 percent decrease and from 2010 to 2011 from July to September, crime volume further declined by 21.49 percent,” Natuel disclosed.
Figures for non-index crimes or violations of special laws including illegal drugs, illegal fishing and illegal logging also showed a downtrend as for 3rd quarter of 2009,2,799 violations were committed which went down to 2,075 crimes in 2010 and further reduced in 2011 with 2,047 violations.
Likewise, the index crimes for the 3rd quarter period for the past three years also went down from 6,562 crimes in 2009 to 6,006 crimes in 2010 and 4,297 crimes in 2011, Natuel reported.
Index crimes are crimes against persons and properties such as robbery, theft, physical injuries, rape, homicide and murder.
As crime volume decreases, crime solution efficiency (CSE) rate on the other hand, shows an increasing trend for the 3rd quarter from 2009 to 2011, Natuel said.
“In 2009, CSE rate was 14.54 percent which increased to 19.43 percent and this year, it further rose to 31.13 percent,” the police official revealed. CSE refers to the number of crimes resolved.
Cebu City still tops in crime statistics with 31 percent of the total crimes followed by Cebu Province with 27 percent. The provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental are tied with 12 percent of the total crimes in the region and fourth place went to Lapulapu City in Cebu Province with 11 percent, this is presented.
The province of Siquijor continues to enjoy a peaceful environment with only one percent of the total crime volume in Central Visayas. (PIA-Cebu)
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Hongkong officials visit Cebu for familiarization tour
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY, November 3 (PIA) -- Consular Corps from Hongkong, China recently visited the province of Cebu for a three-day Special Familiarization Tour and paid a courtesy call at the Provincial Capitol.
Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia welcomed the visitors and treated them to dinner as part of the Capitol’s tradition in welcoming and entertaining foreign visitors and tourists who come to the province.
The Dean of the Hongkong Consular Corps and the Consul General from Kuwait and Romania who were also with the group expressed their appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to them by the local officials and also praised the general hospitality of the Cebuano people.
Consul General of Romania Vasile Sorin promised to be back in Cebu with his family to take a vacation and said he was impressed by the facilities for tourists such as beaches, resorts and hotels.
Tourism is one of the priority thrusts of the Aquino Administration because of its strong and lucrative potential as a major contributor to the national economy. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
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GSIS expands partnership with LBP to cover 1.4M members
CEBU CITY, November 3 (PIA ) --- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS-7) announced that beginning August this year, its more than 1.4 M members may already choose to have their loan proceeds and other benefits credited to a UMID (Unified Multi-Purpose Identification) e-Card issued by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
By choosing LBP as servicing bank, GSIS members would be able to benefit from its wide network covering 327 branches and more than 900 ATMs nationwide.
A LBP-issued UMID e-Card, members can withdraw their loan proceeds and other benefits in any Expressnet, Bancnet or Megalink ATMs nationwide.
The UMID e-Cards also serve as a debit card in more than 20,000 accredited merchants nationwide and as a discount card for GSIS corporate partners such as Pfizer Incorporated and Systems Technology Institute (STI) Colleges.
The LBP-issued UMID e-Card is free of charge and with no maintaining balance required for GSIS members.
To recall, the GSIS renewed its partnership with LBP in December last year, to give the more than 300,000 pensioners the choice to receive their monthly pension and other benefits through a LANDBANK ATM or e-Card.
“This renewed partnership with LBP makes it easier for our members and pensioners, especially in the provinces to access their benefits and other loans,” said Robert Vergara, GSIS President and General Manager.
LBPPresident and CEO Gilda Pico further said, “As a partner of the GSIS in delivering improved service to its members especially in the rural areas, we share the commitment of the new GSIS leadership to provide excellent service for its stakeholders.”
To transfer to LBP, members can visit the GSIS website www.gsis.gov.ph, log on to the eCard member transaction page and click the CHOOSE LANDBANK AS YOUR SERVICING BANK icon.
They can also email their name, date of birth, and UMID Common Reference Number (CRN) to eservices@gsis.gov.ph, or visit the nearest GSIS Field Office at Leon Kilat St., Cebu City. (Juju Manubag-Empuerto/PIA-Cebu and Mitos Galicinao of GSIS)
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PDEA-7 seizes almost P30M worth of illegal drugs from July to Oct. 25, this year
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, November 3 (PIA) -- Anti-drug operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) -7 conducted 360 anti-drug operations throughout Central Visayas from July 1 to October 25, this year resulting to a series of apprehensions of illegal drug substances worth almost P30 million.
PDEA-7 Regional Director Jigger B. Montallana disclosed that out of the 360 anti-drug operations, 23 of these were in joint coordination with the police.
“The total worth of the illegal drug substances we have confiscated from the various anti-drug operations for the almost four-month period was P28.61million,” Montallana said.
Montallana further said 443 personalities were arrested and 497 cases were filed in the proper courts.
Marijuana still tops the volume of illegal drugs seized with 231,578 grams followed by shabu with 3,448 grams, Montallana bared.
Other illegal drugs confiscated were cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana plants and dug paraphernalia, this is learned.
The PDEA-7 director however, did not cite the breakdown of the illegal drugs seized per province under Central Visayas but said that Cebu being the regional center has the most number of anti-drug operations conducted.
“Cebu continues to be a transit point for illegal drugs for Mindanao and Luzon as well as a major market for the illegal drugs,” according to Montallana.
Montallana said this is the reason why the are strengthening the security and monitoring of any entry and exit points of seaports especially on roll-on roll-off (RORO) ports in Cebu province.
“We have also assigned K-9 units in some strategic places in some seaports in Cebu,” Montallana added. (PIA-Cebu)
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Police says Cebu, Mandaue cities generally peaceful during the long holidays
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, November 2 (PIA) – Generally peaceful with no untoward incidents were reported during the observance of the long holidays including yesterday’s All Saints Day in both the cities of Cebu and Mandaue and that except for some confiscations of alcohol and sharp weapons.
Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin “Ramon” Buenafe reported that three knives were confiscated by the police as well as bottles of liquor in Carreta Cemetery where at least 20,000 people visited. Carreta is one of the two big public cemeteries in the city.
Calamba Cemetery on the other hand, noted at least 10,000 visitors but no confiscations were reported and no major incidents also happened.
In Mandaue City, policemen distributed leaflets on the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ while inside the cemetery in four sites and was able to confiscate 20 knives and sharp objects and a bottle of liquor.
Mandaue City Police Director S/Supt. Noel Gillamac said the leaflets were printed in the vernacular form so the people could understand better.
Gillamac said they decided on the leaflets rather than the tarpaulin banner for the public’s convenience.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Director C/Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr. on the other hand, went around the cemeteries in Metro Cebu to personally inspect how the police are implementing their security measures said the police in Cebu are better prepared than in other regions. (PIA-Cebu)
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PCG tightens security at port terminals in
Cebu City due to increased volume of passengers
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, November 2 (PIA) -- Security is being tightened at the Cebu City port terminals with an expected volume of inbound and outbound passengers in four piers in the city.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) - Cebu Commander Rolando Punzalan said his men assigned at the port terminals have been ordered to be on alert due to the increased number of passengers as they have recorded a 5.5 percent hike of seafaring passengers from October 30 until November 1 compared to last year’s October 30 until November 3.
For outbound passengers alone, the PCG-Cebu recorded 102,157 passengers from October 30 till November 1 compared to last year’s 96,689 outbound passengers from October 30 to November 3 or an increase of 5.5 percent in passenger volume, according to Punzalan.
After the observance of All Souls Day today, Punzalan said seafaring passengers are expected to increase tomorrow.
Though Nov. 2 has not been declared a holiday but most people who went to their home provinces may opt to take a leave in order to spend All Souls Day with their departed loved ones, this is said.
Punzalan said by tomorrow, they will focus on outbound passengers and in the coming days, the PCG-Cebu said it expects more inbound passengers as schools are due to open next week.
The PCG-Central Eastern Visayas previously called on shipping vessels to prepare their passenger manifest early to avoid delays in trip schedules as Punzalan said he did not receive any reports of untoward incidents that occurred during the trips from passengers and vessel crew.
Punzalan said they are continuously conducting inspection of the vessels including in some ports to check and monitor any unauthorized sailing of motor bancas. (PIA-Cebu)
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Rains mar the observance of “Undas” in CV
By: Minerva BC Newman
CENTRAL VISAYAS, Nov. 2 (PIA) – The Regional Police Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) described this year’s observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days as very peaceful, only rains marred its observance in most part of the region.
As early as 7:00 a.m. today, heavy rains and dark clouds hovered the skies of Dumaguete City, Metro Cebu and some parts of Bohol.
But these did not dampen the enthusiasm of the people to visit their departed love ones. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that there is an increase of 5.5 percent of outbound passengers compared to last year.
Coast guard reported that from October 30-November 1, 2011 there were 102,157 recorded outbound passengers compared to last year’s 96,689 from October 30- November 3 records.
PRO-7 regional director Marcelo Garbo, Jr. In a media interview this morning said, Central Visayas remained peaceful even as the cemeteries are full and an increase in passenger volume during the ‘UNDAS’ season.
The Cebu City Police on the other hand also reported a very peaceful celebration of UNDAS in the City.
“No reported untoward incidents, so far,” Cebu City PSSupt Mevin Buenafe said.
Buenafe added that this is attributed to the preparations the Police had even a week before the observance of ‘UNDAS’.
In Cebu alone, more than a thousand barangay peacekeeping personnel in tandem with the police and traffic enforcers were deployed all over the city in areas near cemeteries since Oct 30 until Nov. 2.
The same with Bohol, PNP also teamed up with barangay peacekeeping forces and police-deputized traffic agents manned the entry and exit points in cemeteries to facilitate easy access of peope.
“This is part of “OPLAN UNDAS” not only in Bohol but in all parts of the country,” the PNP added.
Police director Garbo said, it deployed over 3,556 police personnel in coordination with local government units, barangay peace keeping forces and traffic enforcers all over Central Visayas to maintain a peaceful and orderly celebration of ‘UNDAS’.
The preparations seemed successful as people from all walks of life trooped to the over 367 cemeteries in the region since October 30 until today to visit their dead and bonding at the same time as family members and relative meet up at the tombs and graves of their departed loved ones. (PIA-7/mbcn with reports from Infocens)