Total crimes decrease by 4.27%

over sustained police operations

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)— Total crimes recorded in Bohol from January 1 to September 19 this year dips 4.27 percent as against the same period last year, reports newly installed Bohol Provincial Police Chief, Police Colonel Patricio Degay.

At the positive accomplishment, Col Degay who now heads the strong BPPO promised sustained police presence, increased police operations, strengthened police intelligence community, continued conduct of intelligence-driven operations especially in sustaining coordination and collaboration with agencies in the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, as his administration’s priorities.

Speaking before members of joined councils of the Provincial Peace and Order and Anti-Drug Abuse, meeting inside the Capitol Ceremonial Hall, Colonel Degay pointed out that total crimes for the mentioned period this year reached 4,890.

That however is 218 crime incidents lesser than the 5,108 incidents recorded in the same period last year, he said.

Comprised of crimes threatening the peace and order and crimes affecting public safety, the total crime incidents this period is the sum of 2,222 peace and order violations and 2,668 transgressions in public safety, according to the Bohol Provincial Police Office.

In 2024, from day one to September 19, crimes affecting peace and order reached 2,191 incidents, which was topped by 31 more cases recorded in police blotters this year, at 2,222, cited the new police chief who used to lead the traffic command here years back.

The 31 cases, comprising the 1.41 percent increase, is still nothing to worry about, assures Camp Dagohoy, which notes that it is in the manageable levels.

For crimes affecting public safety, police blotters all over Bohol in the first 9 months in 2024 tracked 2,917 incidents, something that decreased by 249 cases of 8.54 percent, down to 2,668 incidents this 2025.

Of these, index crimes or the generally serious criminal offenses like offenses against persons (like murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape) and offenses against property (like theft, robbery, burglary and motor vehicle theft), which are generally prosecuted using the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, in 2024 peaked at 525, which sunk to 380 in the same reckoning period in 2025, for a 33.3 percent crime decline, Col Degay called out.

Theft dove from 217 to 96, physical injuries from 145 to 106, robbery from 40-38, rape from 68 to 59, vehicle theft from 23 to 13.

Murder and homicide rose from 24 to 26 and 7 to 10, were the crimes that saw an increase, he commented.

Simple police presence and visibility in potential crime sites and situations can bring these crimes down.

Meanwhile, in the non-index crime classifications, in 2024, police stations tracked a total of 1,666 incidents involving crimes prosecuted by special laws and local ordinances or those that typically encompass serious violations against persons and property like illegal gambling, illegal logging, cybercrimes, drug offenses, and traffic violations that make up a total picture of peace and order in a community.

By 2025 however, the same period saw 1,872, an up-tick of 206 incidents or 12.36 percent.

Because of police initiated operations, anti-gambling law incidents shot from 150-158, as comprehensive dangerous drugs act violations zoomed from 649 to 825, comprehensive law on firearms from 31 to 109 and violation of other special laws from 311 to 374, show.

These plainly reported incidents also however showed a decrease in incidents of attempted and frustrated felonies from 79 to 70 cases and a decline in PRC and other non-index crimes from 448 to 338, according to Col Degay. (PIABohol)

PROPERTY BOOK. Police Colonel Patricio Degay accepts the responsibility and is now booked for the immense task of leading the Bohol Police Force in crime busting and proactive community relations to sustain Bohol economic gains by ensuring the tourism province as ideal place for business and for families to live. (PIABohol)