The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded a 13.5 percent decline in focus crimes from January to the first week of November this year, compared to the same period last year.
From 34,883 incidents recorded from January 1 to November 8 last year, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said it went down to 30,166 incidents for the same period this year based on their records from the data submitted from police regional offices.
The focus crimes are murder, homicide, rape and physical injury which police described as crime against person; and, robbery, theft, carnapping of motorcycles and carnapping of motor vehicles which are all under crime against property.
Fajardo, however, said a slight increase was noted for carnapping of motor vehicles with a 1.42 percent increase, or from 1,714 to 1,580 cases; and homicide, with 3.69 percent, or from 995 to 960 cases.
Fajardo also disputed the survey results released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), saying there was no increase in cybercrime cases from the period July to September this year.
“With due respect to SWS, we don’t know the source and who are their respondents but the statistics from the ACG (Anti-Cybercrime Group) showed a downtrend from the first quarter of this year to the third quarter of this year.
Citing PNP-ACG data, Fajardo said they recorded 4,354 cybercrime cases from January to March this year and it went down by 14.86 percent when compared to the second quarter of this year (April to June) with 3,704 cases.
For the third quarter, or from July to September which were covered by the SWS survey, it went down by 5.79 percent, or from 3,704 in the second quarter to 3,494 cases in the third quarter.
“Our efforts will continue especially during the Holiday season through police intervention that includes police visibility for our kababayan to feel safe,” said Fajardo.