Manila: Crimes in the Mimaropa region dropped by 23.76 percent in the first 26 days of the year, the Police Regional Office (PRO-4B) reported Tuesday. The region is composed of the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-4B director Brig. Gen. Roger Quesada stated that 292 crime incidents were logged from January 1 to 26, down from 383 incidents in the same period last year. Since Quesada assumed office in December 2023, among the regional police office's accomplishments is the reduction in crimes against women and children. "Rape cases, in particular, saw a 64.52 percent decrease in early 2025, with reported cases dropping from 31 in 2024 to just 11 during the same period this year. On an annual basis, rape cases declined significantly, from 520 in 2023 to 391 in 2024-a 24.81 percent reduction," Quesada said. He attributed these achievements to the collective efforts of the police force on strategic planning, enhanced police v isibility, and strong community partnership. Meanwhile, the PRO-3 (Central Luzon) arrested a total of 387 persons wanted for various charges during operations from January 10 to 26. In a separate statement, PRO-3 chief Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo mentioned that 70 most wanted persons and those arrested were individuals facing serious charges such as murder, rape, robbery, and illegal drug-related offenses. The Bulacan Police Provincial Office recorded the highest number of arrested wanted persons at 75. Central Luzon is composed of the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales.