Focus crimes down 24% in January 2026 — PNP

Focus crimes nationwide declined by 24.32% in January 2026 compared to the same period last year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

At a press conference, PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said a total of 2,449 focus crimes were recorded nationwide from January 1 to 31, 2026—787 cases fewer than the 3,236 incidents logged in January 2025.

Crime figures also showed a 5.59% decrease compared with December 2025, the PNP said.

Focus crimes are serious offenses that occur with sufficient frequency and regularity, including murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, and the carnapping of motor vehicles and motorcycles.

Among the major offenses, rape cases posted one of the steepest declines, dropping by 60.97% from 848 cases in January 2025 to 331 cases in January 2026.

“These figures tell us one thing—our communities are becoming safer. This is not an overnight result, but the product of the sustained efforts of our police officers nationwide,” Nartatez said.

He added that the PNP measures success not only by the number of operations or arrests, but by whether people feel safer in their communities.

“When crime goes down, it indicates that what we are doing is having a positive impact,” he said.—MCG, GMA Integrated News