PNP disputes SWS poll, insists crime is down

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) insisted that crime rates in the country were on a downtrend, contrary to what a recent survey revealed in which more Filipinos reported experiencing crime in the past six months.

In results released last Saturday, pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) found that 6.1 percent of Filipino families reported being victimized by common crimes, 2.3 points above its 3.8-percent finding in June 2024.

SWS: Families victimized by common crimes, cybercrimes increase

Common crimes include pickpocketing, break-ins, carnapping and physical violence.

SWS added that the number of Filipino families reporting cybercrimes reached a “new record high” of 7.2 percent, 3.5 points higher than last June.

The national police force, however, begged to differ with the pollster’s numbers.

READ: Index crime rate in PH down by 61.87% from 2022 to 2024 – PNP

Index crime rates decreased by 13.51 percent, from 35,057 incidents between January 1 and November 8, 2023; to 30,322 incidents within the same period in 2024, according to data presented by Spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo in a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

Police data likewise showed a 13.52-percent decrease in focus crimes, from 34,883 incidents between January 1 and November 8, 2023; to 30,166 incidents within the same period in 2024.

Additionally, the PNP listed eight focus crimes: theft, rape, physical injury, robbery, murder, carnapping motor vehicles, carnapping motorcycles and homicide.

The police force’s statistics showed 640 fewer incidents for theft, 2,956 fewer for rape, 446 fewer for physical injury, 660 fewer for robbery, 43 fewer for murder, and 31 fewer for carnapping motor vehicles between January 1 and November 8, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, carnapping motorcycles increased by 1.42 percent from 1,690 incidents between January 1 and November 8, 2023; to 1,714 incidents within the same period in 2024.

Similarly, homicide went up by 3.65 percent from 960 incidents between January 1 and November 8, 2023; to 995 incidents within the same period in 2024.

The PNP previously touted a decrease in the index crime rate, following a claim from President Rodrigo Duterte that drug-related crime was increasing again.

As for reported cybercrime incidents, Fajardo stressed that it was trending downward based on the police’s numbers.

Authorities logged 4,354 incidents of cybercrime during the first quarter of 2024, from January to March; 3,707 during the second quarter, from April to June; and 3,494 during the third quarter, from July to September.

Fajardo remarked that the police force will double down on its efforts against crime especially in light of the coming holiday season.

Speaking of PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, the spokesperson continued, “His ultimate directive to the commanders is to strictly supervise their subordinates.”

“They should be able to show that they themselves are true to their duty because whatever their subordinates do will reflect on the entirety of the PNP,” she added.