A MASSIVE reduction in index crimes was recorded by the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A across the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region in 2022 amid its enhanced law enforcement operations, which has gained the full support of local government units (LGUs) and the public, the Journal Group learned on Tuesday.

The PRO 4-A headed by Brigadier Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. has implemented the strategic programs of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., which calls for the police force to harness the full support of all faith-based organizations and the community in fighting criminality and achieving economic reforms in the country.

Apart from registering a reduced number of focus crimes, specifically murder, homicide, robbery, theft, rape, physical injuries, and motor vehicle and motorcycle theft in 2022, PRO 4-A likewise recorded an increased crime solution and clearance efficiency last year compared to the figures in 2021.

“We have drastically reduced and prevented incidents of prevalent crimes in (the) Calabarzon region in 2022, the accomplishment we attribute to good deployment of our people and effective patrol operations vis-à-vis our solid effort to solve all crimes taking place in our jurisdiction,” said Nartatez, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Tanglaw-Diwa” Class of 1992.

PRO 4-A is in charge of keeping peace and order and enforcing the law in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.

Official PRO4-A records showed that the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) headed by Colonel Christopher F. Olazo registered a 65.02% Crime Solution Efficiency or CSE when it comes to the “8 Focus Crimes” in 2022 compared to its 60.20% CSE in 2021 while the Laguna PPO under Col. Randy Glenn G. Silvio scored a 58.60% CSE last year compared to its 52.95% CSE in 2021.

On the other hand, the Batangas PPO headed by Col. Pedro D. Soliba garnered a 49.48% CSE in 2022 compared to 49.60% CSE in 2021, while the Rizal PPO led by Col. Dominic L. Baccay scored a 60.82% CSE in 2022 compared 55.52% CSE in 2021.

The Quezon PPO under Col. Ledon D. Monte achieved a 56.63% CSE in 2022 compared to its 65.59% CSE in 2021.

Overall, the PRO 4-A achieved a 59.03% CSE in 2022 compared to its 56.51% CSE in 2021.

When it comes to Crime Clearance Efficiency (CCE), the Cavite PPO achieved a 97.47% CCE in 2022 compared to its 95.62% record in 2021, while the Laguna PPO scored a 96.37% CCE in 2022 compared to its 91.64% CCE the year before.

Meanwhile, the Batangas PPO achieved a 96.77% CCE in 2022 compared to its 96.26% CCE in 2021, while the Rizal PPO scored a 91.14% CCE last year compared to its 88.64% CCE in 2021.

The Quezon PPO achieved a 95.75% CCE last year compared to its 96.64% CCE in 2021.

Overall, the Journal Group learned that the Calabarzon police force achieved a 95.58% CCE (Crime Clearance Efficiency) in 2022, eclipsing its record 93.36% CCE in 2021.

PRO 4-A records showed that a total of 5,380 focus crimes were recorded in the Calabarzon region in 2022 compared to the 5,318 incidents in 2021.

The Rizal police force registered the biggest number in crime reduction in 2022, with 1,095 compared to the 1,259 Focus Crimes it recorded in 2021. The Batangas PPO followed with 867 focus crimes recorded last year compared to the 883 it registered in 2021.

From January 1 to December 31, 2022, the Calabarzon police force also conducted a total of 12,694 anti-drug operations which resulted in the arrest of 17,228 suspects, including 171 “high-value individuals” and 14,597 “street-level individuals.”

Those anti-drug operations led to confiscating of an estimated P292.2 million worth of shabu and dried marijuana leaves.

The Cavite PPO conducted 3,795 of those operations, which resulted in the arrest of 6,109 suspects and the recovery of some P92.2 million worth of prohibited drugs, while the Laguna PPO launched 3,104 operations which led to the jailing of 3,706 suspects and the confiscation of around P46.4 million worth of shabu and marijuana.

The Batangas PPO conducted 2,244 operations which resulted in the arrest of 2,492 suspects and the recovery of nearly P18.6 million worth of illegal drugs, while the Rizal PPO launched 2,788 anti-narcotics operations which led to the arrest of 2,788 drug personalities and the confiscation of an estimated P120.6 million worth of shabu and marijuana.

The Quezon PPO meanwhile conducted 763 anti-drug operations, which resulted in the arrest of 937 suspects and the recovery of around 13.6 million worth of prohibited drugs.

Nartatez said that all arrested 17,228 drug suspects in 2022 are now facing charges for violating the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The official said their stepped-up anti-drug drive also enabled them to track down a number of main shabu suppliers in Calabarzon who are mostly based in the cities of Pasay, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Taguig, Pasig, Muntinlupa, and Quezon City in Metro Manila and Dasmariñas City in Cavite.

Nartatez also said that in 2022, they arrested a total of 3,421 “most wanted persons” or MWPs and 8,172 other MWPs.

Two of the arrested suspects were on the national level MWP list, 567 were on the regional MWP list, 793 were on the provincial/district level MWP list, and 910 were on the city police station level MWP list.

The Cavite PPO arrested 1,637 of the suspects, while the Laguna PPO caught 1,899. On the other hand, the Batangas police jailed 963, followed by the Rizal PPO with 1,762 and the Quezon PPO with 1,911 arrests.

The year 2022 also saw the PRO 4-A intensifying its campaign against all forms of illegal gambling activities in the Calabarzon region.

As a result, the PRO4-A launched a total of 2,285 anti-illegal gambling operations, which netted 5,577 suspects and led to the confiscation of nearly P1.08 million in cash bets.

The Laguna police force launched the biggest number of operations, with 1,227 arresting 1,946 illegal gambling personalities and recovering nearly P178,000 in gambling money.

Nartatez said that last year, a total of 4,685 illegal firearms were also accounted for by his men.

He said that 12 of the guns were seized from armed suspects, 70 were confiscated in police operations, 268 were surrendered by their owners/possessors, while a total of 4,335 firearms with expired licenses/permits were deposited to Calabarzon police units for safekeeping by their respective owners pending the renewal of their registration papers.

The official said that their conduct of “Oplan: Katok” in the region last year saw the local police visiting the houses of 198,686 persons whose gun licenses have already expired and asking them to renew their gun papers.

As a result, 4,367 renewed their gun permits, while the application papers of 3,449 others are still in process. Another 4,437 deposited their firearms to the local police.