Night crimes down 64%

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) recorded a total of 177 crime incidents at night during the first two weeks of the year, down by 64 percent from the 487 cases during the same period last year.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol said the figures show that the "Night Watch’ program has been successful and should be pursued with vigor to further reduce criminality in Metro Manila.

"Our Night Watch is effective. We must sustain our operations on all front," Querol said.

The NCRPO chief said he has realigned the budget of his command and issued gas allocations and allowances to Night Watch operatives.

"Part of our operating expenses during daytime was shifted to the beat patrollers at night so they can perform their job well," he explained.

Querol said the initial success of Night Watch also prompted Mayors Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, Canuto Oreta of Malabon, Enrico Echiverri of Caloocan City, Peewee Trinidad of Pasay City and Vicente Eusebio of Pasig City to throw their support.

Querol also congratulated Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Garcia, director of the Southern Police District (SPD), for the swift response of his night patrollers to a recent robbery case in Muntinlupa City, where one of the suspects was killed.

"After the robbery, the victim called up our night patrol desk and reported the incident. Our beat patrollers engaged the robbers, killing one of them," said Garcia, adding that part of the loot was recovered and turned over to the victim.

Reports culled by Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., NCRPO’s intelligence chief, showed that only 177 cases of murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft and carnapping were recorded in Metro Manila from Jan. 1 to 15 of this year.

"There is a big drop in the non-index crimes compared to last year. Our Night Watch is working well as we expected," Rojas said. "We are monitoring the progress of our program so we can shift our manpower and resources in areas where criminality is in the upsurge."

Rojas pointed out at least 32 car theft cases were recorded, translating to a drop by 53 percent from the 69 incidents in 2005. He said murder cases dropped by 74 percent, physical injuries by 66 percent, robbery by 60 percent, and theft by 71 percent.

Because of the initial success of Querol’s pet project, the Philippine National Police is studying its implementation in the provinces.

A councilor in Cebu has filed a bill to implement Night Watch in the province to check the rise of criminality at night.