DILG scrambles to keep up with surging crime in Metro - which is up 36 percent

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government has ordered an increase in police visibility in Metro Manila amid reports that the crime rate went up by 36 percent for the first six months of the year.

This was in response to the report of the National Capital Region Police Office, which was left out in President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address.

Aquino chose to cite 2009 to 2011 figures in his SONA to highlight the decline in crime rate for the past three years, and was silent on the uptick in crimes in Metro Manila from January to June this year.

“(The increase in) petty crimes requires police visibility and (DILG Secretary Jesse) Robredo has ordered the increased police visibility in the streets,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Wednesday.

Lacierda said the budget of the Philippine National Police for personnel service, including the hiring of new cops, will also be increased to P67.3 billion next year from this year’s P57.2 billion.

NCRPO data showed that reported crimes went up from 18,671 in January-June 2011 to 29,231 in 2012.

Crimes involving motorcycle-riding criminals have also increased to 355 for the same period compared to 325 last year.

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