DOJ dismisses Duterte’s crime surge claim

DOJ logo and police officer on the scene. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday dismissed former president Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that the number of crimes rose after his term and the war on drugs.

“Secretary [Jesus Crispin] Remulla firmly refutes the former president’s claims that the end of the previous administration’s war on drugs in 2022 has allowed criminal elements to resurface,” the DOJ said in a statement shortly after Duterte made the remark in a Senate hearing investigating his administration’s bloody drug war.

“Such assertions, made during a Senate hearing on the previous administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign, stand in stark contrast to the comprehensive data provided by the Philippine National Police,” it added.

Citing a report submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the DOJ said the total number of recorded crimes from July 1, 2022, to January 31, 2024 was only 324,368—significantly or 10.66 percent lower than the 363,075 crimes recorded between Dec. 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022.

Among the crimes that significantly decreased in number included rape, with an 11.08 percent decline; physical injury (10.59 percent decline); robbery (2.26 percent decline); murder (10.17 percent decline); carnapping (23.27 percent decline) and homicide (0.91 percent decline.)

Only theft slightly increased by 4.79 percent.

“In light of these verified statistics, the Department of Justice categorically dismisses the statements made by former president Duterte as anecdotal and lacking empirical support,” the DOJ said.

Apart from the DOJ, the Palace itself also refuted Duterte’s claims with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stating that “there is no truth to his statement that crime remains rampant in the country.”