Palace stands by PNP data showing drop in focus crimes

Malacañang on Monday stood by Philippine National Police (PNP) data showing a decline in focus crimes despite a string of recent high-profile criminal incidents.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration continues to rely on official PNP statistics in assessing the country’s peace and order situation.

“Datos ang basehan (The data is the basis),” Castro said.

According to the PNP, focus crime incidents dropped by 20.6%, from 9,506 cases recorded between January 6 and April 5 to 7,883 cases from April 6 to July 4, following the launch of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Safer Cities Initiative.

Castro, however, stressed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not dismissing recent violent crimes that have drawn public attention.

“Hindi naman po ikinatutuwa ng Pangulo ang mga nangyayaring krimen,” she said.

(The President is not pleased by the crimes that have been happening.)

She cited the killing of a marine biologist in Negros Oriental, the stabbing and robbery of a motorcycle taxi rider, and the fatal shooting of a vlogger in Caloocan as among the incidents that have raised concern.

Castro said the government remains committed to addressing criminality, while law enforcement agencies continue to implement measures aimed at improving public safety.

In a statement on Friday, the PNP said the country's eight focus crimes declined by 20.6% during the first three months of the Safer Cities Initiative, while enforcement of local ordinances increased by 21.74%.

Launched on April 6 under DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, the initiative seeks to strengthen police visibility and enforcement of local ordinances through coordination between the PNP and local government units.

PNP records showed that significant declines were recorded in rape, carnapping, physical injury, robbery, theft, homicide, and murder.

During the same period, police arrested or apprehended more than 2.82 million individuals for various ordinance violations, an increase of more than 505,000 from the preceding three-month period.

The PNP said increased police visibility and consistent enforcement of local ordinances could help deter criminal activity and strengthen public safety. — MCG, GMA News