Murder, rape incidents ‘not rampant’ during quarantine — JTF COVID Shield

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. INQUIRER.net file photo / Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines — Murder and rape incidents were not rampant and, in fact, there was a decrease of these cases since the community quarantine began in mid-March, the Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield revealed on Friday.

“In the past days, Police Lt. Gen. (Guillermo) Eleazar said there have been reports that seem to project that cases of murder and rape became rampant during the six-month quarantine period. But the JTF COVID Shield data, according to Lt. Gen. Eleazar, belies the reports,” Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield said in a statement.

Figures from JTF COVID Shield showed that murder cases dropped by 22 percent to 2,509 incidents during the period of March 17 to September 16 this year, from 3,197 incidents during the period of September 15, 2019 to March 16, 2020.

Meanwhile, rape cases went down by 24 percent to 3,446 cases recorded during the six-month lockdown from 4,580 incidents reported in a similar period before the lockdown.

The police task force also maintained that crime incidents nationwide decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

JTF COVID Shield data showed that eight focus crimes reduced by 47 percent from 31,661 incidents recorded during the six-month period prior to the quarantine to 16,879 cases during the six-month enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown.

Eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, car theft, and motorcycle theft, police said.

JPV