ILOILO City — Western Visayas is among the five most peaceful regions in the country, according to the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), noting that focus crimes dropped by nearly 23 percent over a three-month period this year, with rape and sexual abuse cases plunging by more than half.
Latest PRO-6 crime data showed that 385 focus crime incidents were recorded from May 22 to Aug. 22, 2026, down by 114 cases or 22.85 percent from 499 incidents during the same period in 2025.
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, PRO-6 regional director, said the declining crime figures indicate improving peace and order conditions across the region despite isolated incidents in various cities and provinces.
“Nais nating ibahagi sa ating mga kababayan sa Western Visayas na napaka-super safe po. Katunayan po, nationwide, ang Western Visayas ay kasama sa limang peaceful na rehiyon. Ang ating pong numero sa implementation ng Safer Cities ay epektibo at mataas po ang compliance ng ating kababayan,” Tuaño said.
The steepest decline was recorded in rape and sexual abuse cases, which fell by 55.56 percent, from 126 cases during the comparable period last year to 56 this year.
Murder cases declined by 21.21 percent, from 33 to 26, while robbery cases dropped by 18 percent, from 50 to 41.
Theft cases also decreased by 10 percent, from 150 to 135, while physical injury cases went down by 4.12 percent, from 97 to 93.
Tuaño also attributed the improving crime situation to increased public compliance with local safety and security ordinances.
But despite the crime decline, he said PRO-6 would not become complacent and would instead sustain police visibility, crime prevention operations and efforts to improve response times.
The regional police chief also cited “Oplan Sagip Bata,” which enforces local curfew ordinances to keep minors away from situations that could expose them to accidents, violence and criminal activity.
Tuaño said cases involving Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) and youth violence have decreased amid stricter enforcement of curfew hours with the support of local government units.
“Nabawasan po ang numero ng mga kabataan po natin in violence, mga numero ng ating Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL). Isang malaking bagay din ang Oplan Sagip Bata. Inalalayo natin sila sa posibilidad ng aksidente. And pinapatupad din natin ang curfew hours,” he stressed.
Tuaño said intensified patrol operations remain central to PRO-6’s strategy, stressing that visible police presence serves as a strong deterrent against criminal activity.
“Since day one po, ‘yan ang pakiusap natin sa ating mga kapulisan, ‘yung mag-patrol. Number one is police visibility. Wala pong tatalo sa police visibility na strategy ng Philippine National Police,” he added./PN
