The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NORPPO) has reported an 11.51 percent drop in crime rates here in 2025 compared to 2024.
Based on the comparative crime statistics presented during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting on February 4 at the NORPPO headquarters in Agan-an, Sibulan town, 5,518 incidents were recorded last year, lower by 718 of the 6,236 incidents in the previous year.
Likewise, significant reductions were recorded in most of the eight focus crimes: murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, and carnapping involving both motorcycles and motor vehicles — which dropped from 569 to 437 cases.
“We have seen an improvement in the [peace and order] situation all over the province in 2025,” said Police Lt. Mark Jazpher Raymundo of NORPPO.
The data further revealed that most major crime categories posted significant reductions, led by physical injury, which registered the highest decrease at 35.82 percent, dropping from 134 cases in 2024 to 86 in 2025.
Other crime categories had decreased, including theft from 159 to 111 cases; murder from 76 to 60 incidents; and robbery from 38 to 27.
However, the police officer said rape and physical injury remain among the most pressing public safety concerns in the province, despite an overall reduction in the eight focus crimes.
The eight focus crimes are prioritized due to their gravity and impact on public safety.
“Children aged one to three years old were mostly the victims with crimes usually committed through threats or intimidation in residential houses, streets, and abandoned structures,” said Raymundo.
The police officer noted that rape and physical injury cases commonly involved suspects aged 21 to 40.
Physical injury cases were reported to occur mostly on weekends and often involved individuals under the influence of intoxicating substances.
On the other hand, traffic incidents or road crashes slightly increased due to the growing number of motorcycles and motor vehicles across the province, reckless driving among motorists, and other environmental factors.
The highest number of reported road crashes occurred in Bacong town and in the cities of Tanjay and Dumaguete.
To address these concerns, NORPPO recommended: the procurement of additional patrol vehicles and motorcycles to enhance police visibility and response, the purchase of breath analyzers, and speed guns to strengthen traffic law enforcement, and the conduct of regular, random, and surprise drug testing for traffic enforcers.
In the same meeting, Police Colonel Timmar Alam, officer-in-charge provincial director of NORPPO, also reported that the police officers of the Sibulan Police Station involved in a recent shooting incident will undergo a one-week refresher training at the Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region.
Alam added that an administrative investigation related to the incident is currently being handled by the Hearing and Appeals Committee on Police Office under national supervision. (PIA – NIR Negros Oriental)