The spike and brutality of reported crimes needs to be investigated by the Senate to ensure the public’s safety and to re-establish peace and order, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito today said after filing Senate Resolution 883.

Citing the Philippine National Police’s data in his resolution, Sen. Ejercito expressed alarm over the tremendous increase of crime rate incidents from 1.2-Million cases in 2013, to almost 603,086 cases already pegged from January to June this year.

Ejercito also mentioned recent, brutal crimes such as the rape-slay of Anria Espiritu, ambush of a barangay chairman in Manila and a police officer in Quezon City, murder of Benito Chao in Caloocan City, and the gun-poking incident of men in broad daylight along EDSA, among others, as evidence of the breaking down peace and order situation.

He added that the Filipino-Chinese community, particularly parents of children enrolled in Chinese schools, has become anxious as well due to the latest kidnapping incidents.

“It is disturbing to hear the audacity and frequency of criminal activities on the news. We are talking here not just of numbers of cases but of the volume of people affected by criminal activities. The peace and order situation is not improving contrary to the President’s SONA. We cannot risk the safety of the public,” Senator Ejercito said.

As Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, Ejerctio also cited the Philippines’ ranking in the Global Peace Index, wherein the country ranked 134th out of 162 countries. “We are five notches lower in 2013, second lowest in Southeast Asia and the third to the lowest in the Asia-Pacific Region. I am worried because this will definitely affect the country’s economic gains and business climate,” he added.

Through Resolution 883, Sen. Ejercito has likewise directed the proper Senate committee to direct the agencies concerned to improve and upgrade the security and increase police visibility in public areas, to expedite resolution of these cases, and to enact, review or amend legislation in order to prevent or lessen the recurrence of the same crimes in the future.

 

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Press Release

Reference: Rikki Mathay