PEACEFUL. Local and foreign tourists enjoy the beach front of the 'peaceful' Boracay Island afternoon before the first year anniversary of its six-month closure on Thursday (April 25, 2019). Crime volume in the island continues to decrease months after it was opened to the public, the Malay Municipal Police Station said. (Photo by Gail Momblan)
BORACAY ISLAND, Malay -- The Malay Municipal Police Station noted a decrease in the total crime volume on Boracay island after its six-month environmental rehabilitation.
Since its reopening in October last year, Captain Jose Mark Gesulga, Malay police chief, said both the index and non-index crimes were prominently lessened.
"The dramatic decrease on the total crime volume since the reopening contributes to our goal to make Boracay a disciplined zone," said Gesuga in an interview Thursday.
The police recorded 37 total crime volume in the island in November last year, a month after the island's reopening.
The number continued to decrease in the following months with 30 total crime volume in December and 23 in January this year.
Gesulga said the number increased a bit on February with 29 total crime volume, but decreased in March with 26 and April with only six.
Total crime volume in the Holy Week also decreased.
Six crimes were recorded in the Holy Week last year (March 26 to April 1, 2018) while only one was recorded this year (April 15 to 21, 2019).
The most prevalent cases are physical injury and theft, Gesulga said.
Four cases of physical injury were recorded in November 2018 while only one was recorded in April 2019, the police report showed.
Cases of theft, on the other hand, also decreased from 16 in November to four in April.
"The closure really helped us in making the decrease of the total crime volume because when the island was closed, we were given time to plan for the programs and other security activities that were implemented in the opening," Gesulga said.
Gesulga said the number of Malay police substations also increased from two to five when the island opened to conduct patrols and provide additional security.
He assured the efforts of the police will continue to prevent human trafficking, prostitution, the proliferation of illegal drugs, and other crimes on the island.
Index crimes are those against persons and property while non-index crimes are all other illegal acts covered by local ordinances and special laws. (PNA)
