POLICE Regional Office 10 (PRO10) Director Brigadier General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., on Monday, bared a “massive” reduction in the crime rate in Northern Mindanao (NorMin) from January to June this year compared to the same period in 2021 attributing it to their sustained anti-criminality operations.

In a press statement, the PRO10 director said that despite slight “glitches” they have encountered in the region during the period, they have become more aggressive in maintaining peace and order in Northern Mindanao by going “all-out” against criminals and terrorists as well as loose firearms and private armed groups.

Citing records from the PRO10 Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, the official said that the crime rate in the region went down to 755 incidents during the 1st six months of the year compared to the same period in 2021, or a 9.40% overall reduction.

Brig. Gen. Acorda said PRO10 agents across the region also arrested 147 wanted persons, a number of them included in the list of the region’s most wanted criminals during the most recent conduct of their SACLEO or Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations.

He said that during the same period, PRO10 personnel conducted 921 anti-illegal drug operations, which resulted in the seizure of 1,147 drug suspects in the region and the confiscation of around 4.2 kilograms of shabu valued at P28.5 million.

Acorda added that during the past six months of the year, they also accounted for 225 personalities and confiscated 387 loose firearms as a result of 1,848 operations they conducted to account for illegal guns and other weapons that could be used to disrupt the peace in the region.

“The significant decrease of crime rate in this region is attributed to the PRO10’s intensified and continuous conduct of SACLEO or the so-called ‘One-Time, Big-Time anti-criminality operations. Thus, the huge reduction in crime volume in Northern Mindanao is an indication that our SACLEOs have been very successful,” the PRO 10 director said.

Brig. Gen. Acorda said that amid their success in fighting crime in the region, they have also implemented their own police-community relations programs regionwide or from cities down to remote areas with the main mission of regaining trust and confidence of the community.

“Lahat kami dito sa PRO10, we will not stop in our job to keep this region a peaceful one. Kahit na may against o may mag criticize sa atin, this is not a hindrance for us para hindi natin magawa ang ating trabaho,” he said.

He also brushed off claims by some individuals in Northern Mindanao that crime has been increasing in the region.

“The allegations of some individuals that your police in Region 10 are inactive are baseless and unfounded. Our records speak itself. We will continue our law enforcement operations and eliminate all forms of criminalities,” Brig. Gen. Acorda said.

At the same time, the official encouraged local residents to continue supporting the new Marcos administration’s peace and order programs, specifically its “whole-of-nation” approach to help put a peaceful end to local communist insurgency and criminality.

“We are encouraging the public to continuously support the government in its ‘whole-of-nation’ approach to [ending] conflicts by reporting any illegal activities or threats in their locality,” he said.

The PRO P10 director issued the statement amid calls by newly-elected Misamis Occidental Governor Henry Oaminal for the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to relieve Acorda and some of his officials for their alleged failure to stop the resurgence of the notorious “Kuratong Baleleng Gang” and illegal drug personalities in the province.

Oaminal has been at odds with the PRO P10 director following a “sniping” incident in the province last December 22, which killed his then running-mate, former Lopez Jaena Mayor Michael Gutierrez, and wounded 1st District Representative Jason Almonte.

The governor’s latest tirade against Acorda has been described as “political in nature” by Camp Crame officials.