PNP: Index crimes down by 11% in last 4 months

Eight people are arrested and 12 grams of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) valued at P86,000 are seized as police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raid a suspected drug den in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro on Thursday night, May 4, 2023. (File photo courtesy of PDEA Davao de Oro)

MANILA, Philippines — The volume of index crimes nationwide went down eleven percent from January to April this year from the same period in 2022, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday.

From 13,535 index crime incidents recorded from January to April last year, PNP’s data said showed a decline of 11 percent.

The latest figure reflected a drop in the index crime volume at 11,940.

“Through the consistent implementation of various strategies, such as intensified police visibility, intelligence-driven operations, community-based programs, strengthened partnerships with other agencies, and improved crime reporting and monitoring systems, we have achieved a noteworthy decrease in index crime incidents over the past 120 days,” PNP Chief Police General Benjamin C Acorda Jr. said in a statement.

The percentage of solved cases or clearance efficiency decreased by 5.02 percent.

From 96.92 percent in 2022, it became 91.90 percent this year.

PNP’s enhanced e-blotter system identifies focus index crimes.

These are murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, rape, and car theft.

There are also so-called complex crimes.

These are robbery with homicide, robbery with rape, and kidnapping with serious physical injuries, among others.

Based on the report, focus crimes also decreased by 11.87 percent — from 13,467 cases in 2022 to 11,868 cases in 2023.

In 2023, the number of carnapping incidents dropped by 29.31 percent.

This translates to 116 cases last year to 82 this year.

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