Rape incidents in Kalinga down by 16.6% in 2025 but remain a concern

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Rape incidents in Kalinga dropped by 16.6 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, based on data provided by the province’s Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD).

The data showed that in 2025, WCPD-Kalinga recorded 25 reported cases, lower than the 30 cases logged from January to December 2024. Of the cases recorded in 2025, nine have been filed in court, five were dismissed due to lack of interest on the part of the complainant or lack of probable cause, while 11 are undergoing proceedings at the prosecutor’s office.

In an interview with TIP Desk PNCO Rene Joy Saggot and Police Executive Master Sergeant Regina Buyagan, they said that rape cases, especially those involving minors, are handled jointly by the police and the local counterparts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at the LGU level.

When asked about rape cases being settled, they clarified that rape cases cannot and should not be amicably settled at the barangay level, adding that all cases they handle and record are filed with the prosecutor’s office, which determines whether an Information for rape will be filed in court.

“Basta amin nga cases nga handle mi ket ifile mi nga ifile. Dagidiay cases ket adda incest, adda met diay girlfriend ken boyfriend. Diay incest normally mapaspasamak idiay far-flung areas. Diay met agboyfriend, mostly ditoy Tabuk ta isu pagsasabatan ti students,” Buyagan said.

When asked about the dismissed cases, they said the usual reason is the complainants’ lack of interest in pursuing the case.

WCPD-Kalinga attributed the decline in rape cases to the continued implementation of IMPLAN ‘TAGAPAGPATUPAD’, a proactive measure aimed at reducing, if not totally eliminating, rape cases and other forms of gender-based violence in the province through a holistic approach.

IMPLAN “TAGAPAGPATUPAD” focuses on the preparation of plans, execution, evaluation, institutionalization of policies, and monitoring of cases and activities.

Through the program, authorities solicit the active participation of various government agencies, LGUs, and other stakeholders, while identifying their specific roles and responsibilities. Personnel implementing the program are capacitated for monitoring, reporting, and assessment of reported cases until their disposition. They also provide assistance to victims, conduct case and household social profiling, and intensify interventions such as family counseling and seminars on responsible parenting, among others.

Meanwhile, Police Captain Ruffy Manganip of the Kalinga Provincial Police Office said the number of rape cases in the province remains a concern, as rape ranks among the top two focus crimes recorded this year, exceeding the number of theft and robbery cases.

Nevertheless, Manganip explained that the higher number of rape cases being recorded is partly the result of the programs and activities being implemented by the Kalinga PNP to empower individuals to report abuses committed against them.

“Gapu dagiti inconconduct ti police nga IEC, seminars, ken lectures on the rights of women and children… dagidiay protection given to them and the assurance of being assisted, dayta ti makita mi nga maysa nga nangpatured ken nang-empower kadagiti complainants ta ammo da ti rights da ken linteg nga mangtulong kaniada,” Manganip said.