PNP (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

One incident can't magically undo the Philippine National Police's (PNP) gains against criminality. 

Thus, said House Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong as he defended the PNP from those trying to discredit its reportage on lowered national crime rate under President Marcos. 

Adiong’s remarks came amid renewed concerns over public safety following the reported killing of a kidnapped Chinese businessman in Rodriguez, Rizal. The victim, Anson Que, was allegedly targeted by a kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) group linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). 

“One incident cannot just overrun and overhaul the data gathered by the PNP,” Adiong, chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation, said in a press conference Thursday, April 10. 

“Kasi nagre-rely tayo based on the rate (Because we rely on the crime rate), crime rate as submitted by the PNP and all of the data we presume to be coming from the different PNP headquarters across the country,” he noted. 

“So I will stand by the rate, crime rate that has gone down as submitted by the PNP as something that is official. One incident cannot overhaul entirely the data, the official data that was collected by our different PNP post all over the country. And what it says, is the crime rate has gone down,” Adiong said. 

According to PNP Chief General Rommel Marbil, data shows a 26.76 percent drop in focus crimes—from 4,817 cases between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14, 2024, to 3,528 in the same period this year. 

Focus crimes include theft, robbery, rape, murder, homicide, physical injury, and carnapping of motorcycles and motor vehicles. Among these, rape saw the sharpest decline, dropping by over 50 percent. 

Year-on-year data also reflect a 7.31 percent decrease in focus crimes, from 41,717 cases in 2023 to 38,667 in 2024. 

When asked about the impact of Que's killing, Adiong said he could not comment on the specific case as he had not yet seen detailed reports. 

“I’m sorry pero I cannot specifically comment on that specific incident involving specific Chinese tycoon because I haven’t heard of that incident,” he said. 

Asked whether the killing could scare off foreign investors, Adiong pointed to strong economic indicators that continue to boost international confidence in the country. 

“The inflation rate has gone down. It’s 1.8 percent na ngayon (It's down to 1.8 percent),” he said. 

“Our credit rating in the international community is very stable and we have gathered the confidence of our international partners as far as our credit rating is concerned,” Adiong said.