PNP records 54 percent drop in index crimes during quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has recorded a 54.93-percent drop in the volume of index crimes during the 91-day period of the imposition of community quarantine in the country.

During the 119th Police Service Anniversary held at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Thursday, PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said that the agency’s operational units “have gained strong footings against criminal activities, especially in the campaign against illegal drugs, illegal gambling, and terrorism, among others.”

“In our latest statistics on index crime, compared to the period on December 17, 2019, to March 16, 2020, as against the period March 17 to June 17, 2020, 91 days before and after the enhanced community quarantine, there was a remarkable decrease of 14,219 to 6,408 or a reduction of 54.93 percent,” he said in his speech.

Index crimes are crimes against persons and property. These are murder, homicide, rape, robbery, physical injury, theft, cattle rustling, and carnapping.

Non-index crimes, meanwhile, are all other illegal acts, including violations of special laws or local ordinances.

“We have also proven our resolve and capability to enforce the law against high-value criminals in the arrest of most-wanted persons at the different levels nationwide, highlighted by the recent arrest of Ruben Ecleo Jr., the country’s number one most wanted person who has been in hiding for nine years,” said Gamboa.

PNP officials have previously linked the supposed achievements of the Duterte administration’s controversial war on illegal drugs to the crime rate drop in the country.

The PNP has been reporting a lower crime volume since the community quarantine was imposed in the middle of March amid the surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country.

But while the police tout the decrease in crime incidents, the Commission on Human Rights has also reported a “marked increase” in human rights violations during the quarantine, which includes those allegedly committed by the government personnel themselves.

/MUF