Police Efforts Lead to Peaceful Christmas Celebration in Western Visayas

Christmas celebrations in Western Visayas were peaceful and joyful, according to the Police Regional Office (PRO-6). Data from PRO-6 showed that the crime volume in the region dropped by 36.48% from December 16 to 25, with 510 crimes recorded during this period compared to 803 crimes the previous year. Police Brigadier General Leo M. Francisco, the PRO-6 regional director, attributed this decline to the “decisive interventions and collective efforts” of law enforcement and the “effective implementation of the operational concepts focused on Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) strategies.”

The number of cases for eight focused crimes, including murder, robbery, and rape, also decreased by 71.79% from 117 to 84. This was made possible through the deployment of 2,492 police personnel and the mobilization of 8,473 force multipliers in various locations, including churches, terminals/ports, malls, markets, and tourist destinations. The cooperation and personal commitment of all contributing units, as well as the active support of the community and media, were also cited as important factors in maintaining a peaceful celebration.

Although the overall nature of the Christmas celebrations was peaceful, there were two minor incidents reported: one stray bullet incident with no injuries and one firecracker-related incident with one injury. Despite these incidents, the PRO-6 regional director expressed his gratitude to law enforcement, partner agencies, stakeholders, and the community for their cooperation in ensuring a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas celebration in the region.