PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Crimes in Palawan province went down by 52.67 percent in the first half of the year as compared to the same period last year, said provincial police director Superintendent Reynaldo Jagmis.

For the first half of the year, there were 257 crimes recorded from January to June which was way below the 543 crimes recorded in January to June of 2010, Jamis said in a report to the Provincial Peace and Order Council.

Of the 257 crimes recorded, 144 incidents were index crimes and 113 non-index crimes. There was an increase in non-index crimes as compared with last year’s figure at 88.

Jarmis attributed this to the increase in arrests for violations of special laws, such as illegal fishing, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking.

With the decrease in crime volume is the increase in 2011 crime solution efficiency rating of the Provincial Police Office recorded at 32.68 percent. In 2010, the crime solution efficiency was only at 7.73 percent.

Jarmis said maintenance of the peace and order in Palawan is expected to further improve with the augmentation of the police force, which came from its Mimaropa office and the enhancement of the investigative capabilities of the PPO.

This year, the PPO will construct its news provincial office with a cost of P8 million. These are part of the ongoing transformation programs being undertaken by the Philippine National Police.