Central luzon: Overall crime incidents in Central Luzon have decreased by 3.46 percent in the first two weeks under the leadership of Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 chief Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Pe±ones. This decline highlights a promising start to his administration's intensified law enforcement efforts throughout the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the total number of crime incidents recorded from June 20 to July 1 was 1,116, which is 40 cases fewer than the 1,156 incidents reported during the same period last year. Brig. Gen. Pe±ones noted a reduction in cases under eight focus crimes, with numbers dropping from 122 to 104. These focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape (crimes against persons), and robbery, theft, carnapping, and motorcycle theft (crimes against property).
The PRO 3 chief attributed these results to relentless police operations, which led to the arrest of 305 wanted individuals, including 149 most wanted persons. The campaign against loose firearms also proved effective, resulting in 24 arrests and the confiscation of 55 firearms from 25 operations during the same timeframe. Additionally, anti-illegal drug efforts were intensified, leading to 259 operations that resulted in the arrest of 407 drug suspects and the seizure of approximately PHP15.9 million worth of shabu and marijuana.
In line with directives from Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III to enhance swift and responsive public service, Pe±ones distributed 300 handheld radios to improve communication among PRO 3 units. He also personally financed the purchase of 10 drones to support surveillance and tactical missions. Pe±ones emphasized that these efforts focus not just on providing equipment but on ensuring that officers are prepared for real-world response scenarios.
'Our goal is to make sure every police officer in the field has what they need to respond quickly and effectively because time is critical when public safety is at stake,' Pe±ones stated. To support this objective, he has directed regular simulation and communication exercises to ensure personnel meet the five-minute response time target of the PRO 3.
Further demonstrating his commitment, Pe±ones is actively leading field visits to assess deployment strategies and validate visibility on the ground.
