PNP: PH crime situation should not be judged by Metro Manila incidents alone

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday stressed that the country's crime situation should not be assessed based solely on incidents in Metro Manila, even as it acknowledged public concern over recent high-profile and sensational crimes.

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Allan Rae Co made the statement as he clarified the police organization's report showing a 20.6% decline in focus crimes during the first three months of the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) Safer Cities Initiative.

Co acknowledged that recent high-profile crimes, including attacks involving motorcycle taxi riders, have raised concerns over public safety.

“What we are seeing, and what we are not dismissing, are the high-profile or sensational crimes that have happened. They are truly unfortunate, such as the recent attacks on motorcycle riders,” Co said in Filipino in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

He stressed, however, that the national crime situation should be viewed in a broader context, noting that the Philippines is not limited to Metro Manila.

Co also clarified that the reported decline in focus crimes should not be interpreted as a PNP claim that the country has become safer.

“I would like to make it clear that the statement issued by the Philippine National Police on the decline in focus crimes should be taken in context. We are not necessarily saying that it means the country is now safer,” Co said.

The PNP's clarification came following two recent attacks involving motorcycle taxi riders—one who was stabbed in Caloocan City and another who was shot in Cavite.

According to Co, the 20.6% decline was based on a comparison of focus crime incidents during two roughly 90-day periods: January 6 to April 5, before the implementation of the Safer Cities Initiative, and April 6 to July 4, following its launch.

“What we compared was January 6 to April 5 versus April 6, when the Safer Cities Initiative began, up to July 4—roughly 90 days for each period,” Co said in Filipino.

In a Facebook report released on July 16, the PNP said focus crime incidents fell to 7,883 during the first three months of the initiative from 9,506 cases in the preceding three-month period.

Focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping, and motorcycle theft.

“These were chosen because they occur frequently and have a significant impact on the public. They are what we call high-impact crimes because they greatly affect people's sense of safety in their communities,” Co said in Filipino.

Co also cited declines in focus crimes in several regions, including:

• MIMAROPA - 48.63%
• Negros Island Region - 45%
• Central Luzon - 39.6%
• Western Visayas - 39%
• Ilocos Region - 25.6%
• Northern Mindanao - 19%

He added that Western Visayas recorded two days without a focus crime, while no focus crimes were recorded across 58 municipalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region from July 4 to 11.—MCG, GMA News