PNP: Focus crimes down by 19.5% in Jan-April of 2024

The number of focus crimes in January to April has dropped by around 19.5% compared to the record in the same period in 2023, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday.

“Makikita po natin meron pong pagbaba more or less 19.57% yung tinatawag nating focus crimes,” PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(We can see that there is a decrease of more or less 19.57% in focus crimes.)

Focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicles, and carnapping of motorcycles, according to the PNP.

Fajardo added that there were more suspects who were identified, faced charges, and arrested this year than the previous year.

In anti-illegal drug efforts, Fajardo said a total of P32.6 billion worth of dangerous drugs were confiscated since the start of the Marcos administration in July 2022.

For cybercrimes, Fajardo said PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) has launched a total of 356 entrapment operations where 1,202 suspects were arrested and 4,140 victims were rescued.

In operations against international gaming licensing like Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) activities and online lending applications, Fajardo said 50 suspects were arrested, while 2,364 foreigners and 1,706 Filipinos were rescued.

For the campaign against kidnap-for-ransom, Fajardo said the number of incidents decreased to 43. —VAL, GMA Integrated News