Discrepancies in police logbooks cast doubt on Davao’s low crime rates

DAVAO, Philippines – The director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Davao Region flagged troubling discrepancies in police logbooks that call into question the reported low crime rates in Davao City.

PNP-Davao Regional Director Nicolas Torre III showed on Wednesday, July 31, two police blotter logbooks from the Calinan Police Precinct, covering the period from January to June. One logbook contained standard entries for record-keeping, while the other appeared to be “sanitized,” reflecting a significantly lower number of crime reports.

“This is why I decided to relieve all police station commanders. They are not serving the people of Davao properly; the public deserves transparency in how police operate in their communities,” Torre said.

One example he cited occurred on March 1 and March 2, involving a motorcycle that was reported as missing in Calinan. The next day, it was recorded again at the Talomo police as having been “found.” 

In reality, the vehicle had been stolen in Calinan and its parts were discovered in Talomo.

“It was reported as ‘found,’ for record purposes, when, in truth, it was a case of theft. The vehicle was chopped up, and some parts were found in Talomo. But it was recorded as ‘for record,’ meaning no theft was acknowledged,” Torre said.

Torre also recounted a case involving a mother who brought her 14-year-old daughter to see him shortly after he assumed office. He said the mother tearfully explained that they went to a police station on June 4 to report that her daughter had been sexually abused since she was 10 years old. 

Despite the gravity of the situation, the police allegedly advised them to go home and wait for a call to have the suspect arrested, said Torre.

“Is that how you handle a case?” Torre asked.

Another incident he highlighted involved a student who reported the theft of her mobile phone inside a classroom. However, the police blotter noted the incident as “for record purposes” and did not classify it as a theft case.

Additionally, a November 2023 entry showed 19 recorded cases, including theft, robbery, and physical injuries. Yet, another logbook submitted to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) reported only three cases.

Based on a PNP memorandum circular in Davao, all crimes must be logged in a police blotter and forwarded to the DCPO following the Crime Information, Reporting, and Analysis System (CIRAS). Failure to comply with this protocol constitutes a criminal offense and can result in dismissal from service.

“I could file charges, but I prefer to use this as a teaching moment,” Torre said.

Despite these discoveries, Torre made it clear that he would not revisit records from previous years. 

“I won’t go back to investigate those. It’s all water under the bridge; let’s move forward. Dwelling on the past won’t benefit anyone and could harm the people of Davao even more,” he said.

Torre clarified that many of the 19 DCPO station commanders who have been reassigned now also serve as station commanders in other provinces “nagtatrabaho sila (They are working).” – Rappler.com