6 Cagayan Valley police chiefs axed for faking crime stats

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Six chiefs of police in Cagayan Valley were relieved and charged administratively for allegedly tampering the crime statistics to make it appear that the peace and order situation in their jurisdictions have improved.

Senior Superintendent Franklin Mabanag, Cagayan Valley Police chief directorate staff, told The STAR that two chiefs of police each were relieved in the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya.

Mabanag refused to identify the relieved officers. He said a special team from the National Police Headquarters who inspected the officers' jurisdictions discovered discrepancies in the crime reports submitted to the National Police Headquarters.

Mabanag attributed the discrepancies to the claims of the police officers that they excluded in the report minor crime incidents such as theft and vehicular accidents.

“That should not be the case, the police stations should report every incidents in their turf to give the true picture of the situation of peace and order in their jurisdiction,” he said.

Isabela police director Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr. admitted the crime rate in his jurisdiction has increased following the strict recording of incidents by his men.

Ramos cited a standing order in police stations not to accommodate amicable settlement between parties in cases of vehicular accidents.

He ordered his police chiefs to file such cases before the prosecutor’s office where parties involved could settle the matter among themselves.