Crime volume in Central Visayas last July, President Rodrigo Duterte’s first month in office, dropped by 9.5% compared with the recorded figure of the same period last year, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said.

According to PRO 7 director Supt. Noli Taliño, incidence of robbery, theft, rape, and non-index crimes such as estafa, prostitution, kidnapping and car theft, significantly went down last month.

However, the number of homicide and murder cases increased during the same period.

Amid law enforcers’ intensified campaign against illegal narcotics, some anti-drug operations resulted in deaths of drug suspects who allegedly resisted arrest and shot at police operatives.

The PRO 7 reported that here have been 145 killings of drug personalities in the region from July 1 until August 22, 2016.

Police anti-illegal drug operations resulted in the death of 69 of the said drug personalities since Duterte started his term.

Of the said figure, more drug personalities were killed by unidentified suspects as the PRO 7 tallied 76 illegal narcotics-related deaths “under investigation.”

As the Philippine National Police sustains its drive against crime and drugs, crime volume in the entire region is expected to continue to decrease.

Since the implementation of Oplan Tokhang, 71,000 drugs personalities have surrendered to authorities across Central Visayas.

Bohol drug personalities comprised almost half of the figure as the province received the surrenders of 31,000 drugs suspects.

Police authorities in Bohol and Central Visayas said that more drug personalities are expected to surrender, but noted that there are those who yielded to authorities but continue to be involved in illegal drug activities. (Allen Doydora)