MOST prevalent crimes, specifically theft, physical injury and robbery, are down from July 2022 to October 2024 amid the ‘bloodless war on drugs’ by the Marcos Jr. administration, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil said.

Official records from the PNP CIRAS or Crime Information, Reporting and Analysis System shows there was a large disparity between the top 3 most prevalent crimes from July 2016 to October 28, 2018 or during the first 27 months of the former Rodrigo R. Duterte administration compared to the period from July 2022 to October 28, 2024 under the present Marcos government.

The PNP CIRAS, formerly known as the e-Blotter system, set a standard procedure by which all crime incidents reported to the police stations are electronically stored in a database.

During the first 27 months of the Duterte presidency, the following crimes were recorded by the PNP CIRAS: 84,089 theft cases; 49,536 cases of physical injury and 36,039 robbery incidents.

On the other hand, the top 3 most prevalent crimes recorded during the past 27 months of the Marcos administration were the following: 30,172 theft cases or nearly a 54,000 reduction; 20,287 rape cases; and 11,826 robbery incidents.

PNP spokesperson, Brigadier Gen. Jean S. Fajardo, said that focus crimes during the 1st 27 months of the Duterte administration was pegged at 236,909 compared to the 90,618 cases during the same 1st 27 months of the Marcos government or 146,291 less crime incidents or a 61.75 percent reduction.

The comparative periods likewise showed the following massive crime reduction during the Marcos administration vis-à-vis the previous Duterte administration: 58,917 less theft cases or a 64.12 percent reduction; 37,710 less physical injury incidents or a 76.13 percent reduction;

25,291 less robbery cases or a 70.19 percent reduction; 4,252 less rape incidents or a 17.33 percent reduction; 12,487 less murder incidents or a 56.17 percent reduction; 9,233 less cases of motorcycle theft cases or a 66.96 percent reduction; 2,703 less homicide cases or a 50.52 percent reduction; and 690 less incidents of motor vehicle theft or a 51.86 percent reduction.

The PNP leadership issued the statement to refute former President Duterte’s claim during a recent Senate that crime remains rampant in the Philippines earning the Davao City mayoralty candidate a rebuke from Malacañang and the Department of Justice.

“This significant downward trend spans various categories of crime. Notably, crimes against persons, including murder, homicide, physical injuries, and rape, decreased by 55.69 percent.

Specifically, we recorded reductions of 11,641 in murders, 2,420 in homicides, 2,719 in rape incidents, and a notable decrease of 34,966 in physical injuries,” she said.

The PNP spokesperson likewise said that crimes against property, such as robbery, theft, and carnapping, registered a significant decline of 66.81 percent, with reported cases dropping from 124,799 to 41,420 during the same comparative periods.

In addition to the reduction in crime volume, Brig. Gen. Fajardo said the PNP has made significant strides in operational efficiency, evidenced by a 27.13 percent increase in the Crime Clearance Efficiency rate and a 10.28 percent rise in the Crime Solution Efficiency rate.

Brig. Gen. Fajardo also highlighted the PNP’s strict adherence to the rule of law and protection of human rights under the Marcos Jr. administration.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin and DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla both rejected Duterte’s claim before the Senate that crime remains rampant in the Philippines.

“With due respect to former President Rodrigo Duterte, there is no truth to his statement that crime remains rampant in the country,” Bersamin said, citing the PNP statistics.

Sec. Remulla also made a similar statement.

“In light of these verified statistics, the Department of Justice categorically dismisses the statement made by former President Duterte as anecdotal and lacking empirical support,” he said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon