Escudero rejects Duterte claim on crime rate

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MANILA, Philippine s — Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday debunked former president Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that  crimes have become more rampant in the country.

Escudero, during the Kapihan sa Senado forum, said the crime index from 2016 to 2018 is at least 60 percent higher compared to most recent data.

“Ang datos sinumite sa Senado ay crime index [mula] July 1, 2016 [hanggang] April 21, 2018 ay 196,518. July 1, 2022 to April 21, 2024 – 71,544. Mas mataas ang krimen noong panahong ‘yon nung 2016 to 2018 ng 60 percent — halos triple,” said Escudero.

(Data submitted to the Senate showed that the crime index from July 1, 2016 to April 21, 2018 was 196,518; From July 1, 2022 to April 21, 2024, it was 71,544.  Data from 2016 to 2018 is 60 percent higher, almost triple.)

Later in the forum, Escudero was asked if this means that more killings transpired during the Duterte administration, which began in 2016.

“Kasi nga hindi mo pwedeng hindi bilangin yung patayan. Krimen pa rin yun e. Extrajudicial killing nga e it’s a crime. Hindi mo pwedeng hindi bilangin yun sa crime index,” said Escudero.

(You cannot exclude the killings. It’s still a crime. Extrajudicial killing is a crime. You cannot exclude such in counting the number of crimes.)

Escudero said he had the data checked because he got curious after resource persons at the Senate’s drug war probe claimed that it was safer during the Duterte administration.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency listed 6,252 deaths in anti-illegal drugs p operations from July 1, 2016 to May 31, 2022.

A 2017 year end report attributed to the Office of the President, however, listed more than 20,000 dead in the first 17 months alone of the Duterte administration.