Criminality 'down' but some crimes shocked

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the crime rate in the country from January to October 2023 dropped by around 8% compared to the same period in 2022.

An 8.24% decrease was recorded in index crimes or crimes against persons, according to the police.

Also, an 8.18% drop was reported in focus crimes, which include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicles, and carnapping of motorcycles.

Still, some crimes managed to shock the public due to daring of the criminals and the pain suffered by the hapless victims.

Couple shot dead inside a bus in Nueva Ecija 

A video went viral on social media showing the fatal shooting of a couple while inside a bus traversing a mountainous part of Barangay Minuli in Carranglan town on November 15.

The two gunmen can be seen shooting in the head and neck at close range the victims, who were identified as 60-year-old Gloria Atilano and 55-year-old Arman Bautista.

On November 20, one of the gunmen identified as Allan Delos Santos was arrested. 

Police said Delos Santos gave crucial information about his participation in the killing and voluntarily executed an extra-judicial confession.

A criminal complaint for two counts of murder against Delos Santos and four others was filed on December 11 before the Prosecutor's Office in Nueva Ecija.  

Delos Santos tagged Atilano’s son as the mastermind behind the shooting. Delos Santos said the mastermind paid him and his accomplice P60,000 each for the crime.

Before the arrest of the gunmen, the police already considered Atilano’s son as the person of interest in the crime because the victim had filed a carnapping charge against her son, who later posted bail.

According to the son, he and his mother have forgiven each other. He also called on the public not to judge them. He is now facing parricide charges.

Socorro Bayanihan Services: An alleged cult in Surigao del Norte

People’s organization and religious group Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. was accused of committing rape, sexual abuse, forced labor, and forced marriage of minors among its members.

In her privilege speech on September 18, Senator Risa Hontiveros said over 1,000 children were allegedly being sexually abused and forced into marriages by the “cult” in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.

The organization, led by 23-year-old Jey Rence Quilario alias Senior Agila, was said to have 3,560 members, including 1,587 children, at Sitio Kapihan, Socorro.

According to former members, Quilario took charge of the organization in 2017 after claiming that he is the messiah “Santo Niño” in human form.

The group started to live in the isolated area of Sitio Kapihan in the Bucas Grande mountains after an earthquake in 2019.

Quilario and other officials of the group were accused of pairing women and minors into forced marriages, requiring sexual intercourse, and arranging private armies with illegal firearms.

Aside from this, the group was allegedly collecting 50% of the members’ salaries and the aid that they received from the government. Members were also restricted from leaving the community.

On November 7 right after a Senate hearing, Quilario and 12 others were arrested for alleged human trafficking. No bail was recommended for their temporary release.

At least 21 charges have been filed against the group before a Surigao del Norte Regional Trial Court (RTC), according to the Department of Justice.

These charges include qualified trafficking in persons, facilitation of child marriage, solemnization of child marriage, and child abuse charges.

Quilario and other officials have denied the accusations.

Bomb attack at Mindanao State University in Marawi City

Four people died in an explosion during a mass inside the Dimaporo Gymnasium at the Mindanao State University on December 3. Thirty-nine people were also hurt in the incident.

Two alleged members of Dawlah Islamiyah - Maute Group identified as Kadapi Mimbesa or “Engineer” and Arsani Membesa or “Khatab'' have been named as suspects in the explosion.

Mimbesa is a former MSU student who took up BS in Agricultural Engineering. Alias Khatab, meanwhile, is wanted for murder.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had admitted that there was a failure in intelligence "in a way" in the deadly bomb attack.

Before the attack, the military received intelligence information that there could be a possible retaliatory attack from the Maute group after some of its members were killed in a military operation in Maguindanao del Sur.

One of the suspects in the bombing identified as Jaffar Gamo Sultan alias Jaf and Kurot was arrested on December 6.

Sultan is allegedly one of the companions of a certain alias Omar, the man tagged as the one who brought an improvised explosive device to the gymnasium.

He is now facing charges of illegal possession of explosives and harboring a criminal.

Two more alleged members of the Maute group identified as “Maausor” and “Monatanda/Titing” were arrested in Lumbayanague, Lanao del Sur on December 9 for possible involvement in the bomb attack.

Police said the two, who have existing warrants of arrest for murder, possibly sheltered the bomb attack suspects in their area.

Aside from them, the police are also looking for two more persons of interest who were caught on CCTV footage captured during the incident. A P1 million reward is being offered for information on them.

Authorities said they are validating the claim of the Islamic State and Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute that they were responsible for the bomb attack. 

Chemical engineering student died after alleged hazing

On February 28, the body of a 24-year-old chemical engineering student at Adamson University, John Matthew Salilig, was found in a shallow grave in Imus, Cavite ten days after he was reported missing.

Salilig was a member of the Tau Gamma Phi chapter in Zamboanga who joined the welcoming rites for the Adamson chapter in Biñan, Laguna. 

Citing a statement from one of the suspects, authorities said Salilig received at least 70 paddles from 18 individuals who took part in the welcoming rites.

The student showed “warning signs” during the process as he vomited and excreted while being hit. He survived the rites but experienced a seizure while on the way back to Manila.

On March 1, fraternity neophyte Roi dela Cruz said he and Salilig underwent initiation and welcome rites, respectively, together during the incident.

Dela Cruz said his recruiters told him he would only receive 12 to 24 paddles during his initiation rites. However, Dela Cruz said he received around 70 paddles. 

He said the suspects also poured wax from a burning candle on his body and removed it by whipping him using a belt.

Based on the autopsy, Salilig’s cause of death was “severe blunt force in the lower extremities”.

Salilig’s brother John Michael and Dela Cruz filed hazing complaints against 11 individuals and a certain “McGregor.”

Earl Justine Abuda and Alexander Marcelo who were with Salilig during the welcoming rites also filed their complaints against 17 individuals. Some of the accused surrendered to authorities and pleaded not guilty.

Criminology student died after hazing in Quezon City

Ahldryn Bravante, a 25-year-old student of the Philippine College of Criminology, died after a hazing ceremony in an abandoned building in Quezon City on October 16.

Four suspects were identified as Justine Artates, 20 years old, Kyle Michael de Castro, 21, Lexer Angelo Manarpies, 20, and Mark Leo Andales, 20.

Artatez and De Castro brought Bravante, who was unconscious, to the hospital but the victim was declared dead on arrival.

They said that they were members of Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity and that Bravante was a neophyte who underwent an initiation rite with the frat members.

Twenty members of the fraternity took turns hitting Bravante with a total of around 60 paddle hits, police said.

His death certificate showed that the cause of his death was blunt impact injuries in the lower extremities. 

The suspects are facing hazing charges.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, 9 others killed

On March 4, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and five others were killed as armed men fired shots while the official was distributing aid at his residence in Pamplona. The death toll later on climbed to 10.

Six suspects wearing pixelized uniforms and carrying long firearms shot Degamo. 

Authorities tagged now expelled Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. as the supposed mastermind in Degamo’s killing.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 issued an e-warrant of arrest against Teves, Angelo Palagtiw, a certain “Gie Ann” or “Jie An,” and Captain Lloyd Cruz Garcia II.

Charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder were filed against the suspects. They have denied the accusations.

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has designated Teves and 12 others as terrorists, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

Beauty contestant went missing 

Catherine Camilon, a 26-year-old beauty contestant who represented Tuy, Batangas in the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 pageant went missing on October 12.

Kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints were filed against four suspects, identified as Police Major Allan de Castro, Jeffrey Magpantay, and two John Does.

Authorities said a close friend of Camilon reached out to her sister, Chin-chin, and told her of the alleged relationship between the missing beauty queen and De Castro.

De Castro was reportedly the person Camilon was supposed to meet on the day of her disappearance, which the cop has denied. He also allegedly gave her the vehicle she was seen in when she left her house.

Before she went missing, police said De Castro supposedly hurt Camilon when she told the cop’s wife that he had an affair.

The police officer has been temporarily relieved from his post pending the investigation results. He was also placed under the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.

The reward for information on Camilon's location is currently at P250,000, 

As of November, there was still no proof of life for the missing beauty queen, police said.

Kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints have been filed against the four suspects.

Radio anchor in Misamis Occidental shot dead amid livestream

On November 5, 57-year-old radio anchor Juan Jumalon, or Johnny Walker was killed by an unidentified gunman while he was doing a live broadcast for his radio program at his residence in Calamba, Misamis Occidental.

The suspect went to Jumalon’s house pretending to have an important announcement aired on the radio station but suddenly drew his firearm and shot the radio anchor, hitting the lower lip towards the back portion of the head.

Murder and theft complaints were filed against three suspects.

A total of P3.7 million reward is being offered for the arrest of the perpetrators.

17-year-old killed by cops in case of mistaken identity

On August 2, 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar died while on his way to go fishing after he was shot by Navotas City policemen who were pursuing a shooting suspect in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran.

A companion who was with Baltazar said they were preparing their boat when a policeman ordered them to get off. They reportedly tried to give themselves up, but the police officers allegedly kept on shooting, prompting Baltazar to dive into the water.

The police later said it was a case of mistaken identity. 

Twenty-seven personnel of the Navotas City Police Substation 4 have been relieved from their posts in connection with Baltazar’s death.

In October, A Navotas City court ordered the arrest of Police Executive Master Sergeant Roberto Balais Jr., Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban, Police Staff Sergeant Antonio Bugayong, Police Staff Sergeant Nikko Esquilon, Police Corporal Edmark Jake Blanco, and Patrolman Benedict Mangada.

The cops who were facing murder charges already surrendered to authorities.

Missing 4-year-old found dead inside washing machine 

On May 28, the body of a four-year-old boy who was reported missing was found dead hidden inside a washing machine. The boy suffered blunt traumatic injuries to the head.

The suspect has been identified as the victim's 15-year-old uncle. 

The body was discovered by the suspect's mother, who also turned him over to the police.

A complaint for murder in relation to Republic Act No. 7610 had been filed against the suspect.

The proceedings are suspended until the suspect reaches the age of 18. He is now in the custody of the city's social welfare and development office.