Citing decrease of crime incidence

TACLOBAN CITY- The province of Leyte remains to be one of the peaceful areas in region, if not, in the entire country.
This was disclosed by provincial police director, Colonel Rolando Bade who made this assertion during the provincial meeting of the peace and order council held on June 7.
Bade used the reduction of the crime rate across the province as his basis on his claim.
Based on their record, the crime rate of Leyte, using the January to May period, declined by 1.07 percent compared to the same period of last year.
The crime incidence of the province covering the first five months of the year was 1,198 which is lower compared to the 1,211 of last year’s same period.
Bade credited the enhanced managing police operations mechanisms and the maximization of human and logistical resources as reasons why they were able to bring down the crime incidence of Leyte.
Of the 1,198 crime volume of the province, 963 of them were classified as non-index crime or those offenses involving properties and violation of special laws and 235 index crimes or those involving persons.
“While index crime was lowered from 332 reported incident in 2018 to 235 in 2019, the non-index crime for January to May increased to 963 cases from 879 cases due to intensive operation against illegal drugs, illegal gambling, illegal fishing, illegal logging and operation against loose firearms,” Col Bade explained.
Bade also said that crime solution efficiency increased to 1.46 percent or 81.72 percent in 2019 from 80.26 percent in 2018 and the crime clearance efficiency also went up to 98.05 percent in 2019 from 97.03 percent in 2018 or an increase of 1.02 percent.
The police provincial director also said that the average monthly crime rate went down from 15.8 percent of last year’s first five months to just 15.71 percent of the same period or a decrease of 4.01 percent while the average monthly index crime rate also declined to 3 percent from 4.30 percent compared to the same period last year or a 30.23 percent difference.
In the campaign against illegal drugs, Leyte Police Provincial Office (PPO) conducted a total of 95 police operations and arrested a total of 105 persons with two illegal drug personalities killed.
About 69.65 grams of shabu and 1, 012.45 grams of marijuana or a total value of P658, 401 were confiscated during the operations.
A total of 194 cases were filed in various courts by the Leyte PPO in relation to anti-illegal drug operations.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- An alleged drug personality was killed after he fired back against the policemen during a buy-bust operation in Maasin City Wednesday (June 5).
Police operatives said the suspect Antonio Espera, legal age and jobless, sensed that he was transacting with a police officer which prompted him to draw his firearm and fired first towards the operating team during the joint operation around 11:25 am at Barangay Pasay of the said city.
The suspect sustained gunshot wounds on his body when elements from Maasin City Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) returned fire.
Espera was brought to Southern Leyte Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital for medical attention but pronounced dead by Dr. Wilfredo Tan Jr., the attending physician.
Recovered from his possession were four pieces medium size heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be “shabu”, one unit revolver loaded with five fired cartridge case, one live ammunition, two pieces empty shell, one unit Kawasaki Rouser MC black and cash money amounting to P 4,783 in different denominations.
Espera, who was listed as high-value target 2, was a resident of Sitio Tubli, Barangay Tigbawan of the said city.
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- This city is all ready to welcome its guests that will be coming to witness the pomp and pageantry as it celebrates its 130th annual city fiesta in honor of Senior Santo Niño.
The month-long activities will be encapsulated under its banner program, Sangyaw Festival which kicked off with a media conference for this year’s Miss Tacloban candidates in the morning of June 1.
A motorcade was held in the afternoon of same day capped with a concert held at the Sangyawan Concert grounds located at the Balyu-an grounds.
At the grand opening of the Sangyawan Music Festival, it featured local bands, highlighted by the Razorback.
A nightly shows and concerts will be shown at Sangyawan Music Festival with the likes of Tanya Marka Nova, Loyd Umali and Emma Castro, Rocksteddy, Rouge Band, Mayonaise, Ney Dimaculangan, Letter Day Story, Junkies Band, Kjwan, I Love Tacloban Band, Parokya ni Edgar, Doble Kara, Dance Duo, Dance Fusion, Lets Duet, and Jay-R with Sofia G. Romualdez on June 29 and Cueshe, among others.
City Tourism Office consultant Norma Morantte said that the city government under Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez administration joins the people of Tacloban, Sto. Nino Parish Church, Sangyaw Foundation Inc. (SFI) and its stakeholders to Sangyaw or announce the fiesta celebration of Sr. Sto. Nino and the month-long city Sangyaw festivities.
According to SFI president Felix Barreon, the festivities has three categories of events to cater all sectors of the community namely the religious, cultural, sports and main events.
Meanwhile, Taclobanon’s cultural talent of various artists says Sangyaw co-chair Carlos Castillo, will be shown nightly starting June 14 (Grand Opening of the SANGYAW Cultural Night).
The cultural night at Plaza Rizal will feature St. Paul’s College, Samleyaw Dance Company, STEFTI Night, Jude Basio Opana, EVSU, I Live Tacloban Youth, Point Dance Company, Reo Brothers with the Blast Riders, Erwin Ripalda Co., DepEd Tacloban City Division, Organico, Leyte Dance Theater and Cherry Mobile to include Sangyawan Han Isla Sinirangan (Art show & festival costume competition).
Sangyaw Sports events includes local and international sports such as: Mayor Cristina Sports Clinic, Sangyaw National Table Tennis Tournament, Basketball, Beach Volleyball Tournament, Sangyaw Ultimate Frisbee, Sangyaw Mini X Games, Mayor Cristina Regional Open Chess Tournament, 11th Cancabato Sports Competition, 3rd Mayor Cristina National Sepak Takraw Tournament, Sangyaw Adventure Race, Mayor Cristina Pedicab Race, Idadait & Laro ng Lahi, 7th Mr. Sangyaw Tacloban 2019 (Body Building Competition) and the International JETSKI competition on June 13-15 at Patio Victoria.
Religious events in honor of Tacloban’s patron Sto. Nino de Tacloban starts with the pre-Balyuan of images on June 18 and Balyuan Rites on June 20, also the start of the 1st day Sto. Nino novena. The pontifical masses on the feast day, fluvial procession and Land procession.
The festivities also includes prestigious beauty pageant search, the Ms. Tacloban 2019 Coronation on June 22, the 3rd Ms. Sangyaw Queen on June 26.
To honor Taclobanons living outside the country, the Balik Tacloban Night will be held on June 26 with the Reo Brothers as guest performer will entertain them.
Sangyaw Tacloban Festivities will be highlighted by the Sangyaw Festival of Lights on June 29. Mayor Cristina invites all Taclobanons, neighboring places and the whole world to come watch and see the Sangyaw Festival of Lights.
With its theme: Happiest Fiesta with the Happiest people of the world. Tacloban is very much alive this whole month of June, the home of the happiest people in deed.
Sangyaw Festival is a collaborative effort of the city government of Tacloban in cooperation with the Sangyaw Foundation Inc. (SFI), the Sto. Nino Parish Church and its stakeholders.
(GAY B.GASPAY/TISAT)