The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Saturday that the index crime rate in the Philippines has dropped by 16 percent during the first three months of the year.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos cited the report where it showed 7,865 index crimes logged from January 1 to March 25, 2023, which are lower than the 9,375 incidents recorded in the same period in 2022.
Index crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, and robbery, and car and motorcycle theft.
The report showed that rape cases dropped from 2,254 last year to 1,593 this year; carnapping incidents dropped from 82 in the same period last year to 48 this year; motorcycle theft decreased from 441 incidents to 396; and cases of physical injuries went down to 898 from last year’s 1,339.
In a statement, Abalos said: “Bumaba din ang kaso ng theft sa 2,647; robbery sa 1,080; murder sa 920; at homicide sa 229.”
From January 1 to March 24, the PNP arrested 17,418 individuals in its “intensified pursuit’’ of wanted persons.
Meanwhile, PHP1.36 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized and 14,481 cases were filed against the arrested drug offenders.
Abalos commended the whole PNP force under the leadership of PNP chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. for continuing to fulfill their roles to protect the people and the country. He said that “the challenge now is to be steady and consistent against index crimes.”
