PRO-7: Crimes dropped during APEC

CEBU, Philippines - Since the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings started, the crime volume in the region has dropped to three percent, the Police Regional Office-7 yesterday reported.

“This week, the total crime volume dipped to as much as 3 percent compared to the previous weeks,” said Senior Superintendent Rey Lendon Lawas, PRO-7’s chief of regional directorial staff.

Lawas, who was a guest at the weekly “Kapistorya sa Kapitolyo,” said the bulk of the decrease is in Metro Cebu where the several APEC meetings are held.

The three percent, he said, is only for non-index crimes or those with police intervention. The biggest drop, he added, is the index crimes at 14 percent.

One of the biggest factors that contributed to the decrease, Lawas said, is the good police visibility in the streets. PRO-7 has deployed more than 3,000 uniformed policemen from the whole region to APEC areas and routes.

According to Lawas, this development can be used in their future activities after APEC.

Also, the PRO-7 official said they have not received any complaints from the APEC delegates.

Meanwhile, Lawas defended their men who were reportedly seen standing idly along the APEC routes, saying they are allowed to relax during break time.

Lawas said they are on a 12-hour shift hence, at some point, they also get tired of standing the entire time.

He, however, stressed to the deployed personnel that when a convoy of delegates passes by, they should always be on alert. —  Liv G. Campo/NSA (FREEMAN)