PNP: Decline in victims of common crimes shows success of drug war

MANILA, Philippines — The decrease in the number of families who have reported falling prey to common crimes proves that the government’s drug war is gaining success, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Thursday.

Survey results released Wednesday by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that an estimated 1.4 million of Filipino families (5.6 percent) reported being victimized by common crimes in the last six months.

This is a 1.4-percent decline from the 1.7 million (7 percent) families who reported they were victims of common crimes, which include pickpocketing, break-ins, carnapping, and physical violence, in a separate survey released June 2019, according to SWS.

READ: Families victimized by common crimes down to 5.6% — SWS

“Ito ay patunay na ang kampanya natin laban sa krimen at droga ay nagtatagumpay. Itong survey na ito ay nagbibigay ng encouragement sa atin na nasa tamang direksyon tayo para makamit natin ang ating mithiin na drug-free Philippines by 2022,” Banac said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer.

(This is a proof that our campaign against crime and drugs is gaining success. This survey gives encouragement that we are on the right track so that we can achieve our goal of a drug-free Philippines by 2022.)

According to Banac, the survey results also support the lower crime volume recorded by the PNP since the Duterte administration waged the campaign against illegal drugs.

A total of 5,526 drug suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations since July 2016 until June 2019, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

READ: PDEA: Drug war death toll now over 5,500; arrests reach 193,000

Human rights groups, however, claim that the death toll is significantly higher than what the government reports. /je