MAMANG PULIS -- AMID a government assurance that there is no ongoing crime wave in the country, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III will visit Camp Crame this afternoon to discuss with the Philippine National Police leadership their ongoing massive campaign against criminality particularly when it comes to organized crime groups.

The President will be briefed by PNP chief, Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, and his top officials on the result of the PNP’s anti-crime crackdown since the year started amid the presence of some celebrated crime incidents and unfounded claims of a growing crime wave in the country which have hogged the headlines.

The PNP leadership downplayed speculations of a sweeping crime wave even as it remained optimistic it will sustain a better peace and order environment this year as it posted a reduced crime rate last January.

Statistics from the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management showed a sharp decline in index crime cases recorded in January 2012 with index crime incidents dipping 20.01 percent from the 14,227 cases in January 2011 to 11,379 cases in January this year, said PNP spokesman, Chief Supt. Agrimero A. Cruz Jr.

Cruz explained that index crime cases are the valid indicators of the prevailing crime situation as they include crime against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injuries and rape and crime against property such as robbery, theft, carnapping and cattle-rustling.

The crime trend in January 2012 showed similar double-digit decline in crime against persons and crime against property compared with the previous year’s record for the same month, he added.      

Cruz said if the January crime trend is an indication of things to come in the months ahead, “then we can certainly look forward to an improved peace and order situation towards the rest of the year.”  

Meanwhile, the PNP’s Crime Solution Efficiency in January 2012 rose 28.02 percent indicating better police performance in solving crime cases.

Even with this noteworthy crime solution record, the PNP leadership under Director General Bartolome believes that police operations must be focused more on crime prevention mainly thru increased police visibility and patrol operations, Cruz noted.