The peace and order situation in Iloilo City remains generally stable despite the recent robbery of a female physician, according to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) office in the metropolis.
In an interview, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) spokesperson Police Major Shella Mae Sangrines said the incident that took place in the parking area of a shopping mall in Mandurriao district was just an “isolated case.”
“We can say that we are on top of the situation, and Iloilo City remains peaceful and orderly. It is still safe here,” she told IMT NEWS.
“This is not for PR (public relations) purposes; we are fully convinced, and the figures support this. Based on the data, we can still be considered one of the safest highly urbanized cities,” Sangrines added.
From January to August this year, the ICPO logged a total of 3,739 crime incidents in the city, lower by 5.26 percent compared to 3,936 cases recorded in the same period last year.
The latest figure includes 170 incidents of focus crimes: theft (96), rape (20), physical injury (24), robbery (18), murder (7), homicide (3), motornapping (2), and carnapping (0).
The decline is also reflected in the average monthly crime rate, which fell from 100.87% in 2024 to 85% in 2025.
Sangrines attributed the lower number of crime incidents this year to their “multi-pronged strategy.”
“The decrease is a result of strengthened and focused law enforcement operations, strategic deployment of mobile and foot patrollers, and the vigilance of the community,” she explained.
Sangrines also cited the utilization of new technologies such as drones, and the activation of 911 hotline as among the reasons for the decline.
“The impact on the community is significant. When would-be criminals know that the police can arrive in five minutes, they hesitate to commit [lawless acts],” she said. IMT
