The Philippine National Police (PNP) has noted a significant decrease in the number of eight focus crimes during the 84-day quarantine period compared to the same period before the strict implementation of the community quarantine.
The eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicles, and carnapping of motorcycles.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said that based on the analysis between March 17-June 8 period and December 24- March 16 period, there was a 57 percent decrease of crime volume.
From 13,004 cases on December 24-March 16 period, Gamboa said it went down to 7,352 cases on March 17-June 8 period.
“This is an all-time low in a span of 84-day period. Even as we are faced with unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the PNP remains steadfast in fulfilling our mandate to serve and protect the people, not only as police front liners but as enforcers of peace and order,” said Gamboa.
Quoting reports from the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield headed by Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Gamboa said carnapping registered the most number of decrease with 82 percent (from 88 to 16) on carnapping of motor vehicles and 81 percent (880 to 170) on carnapping of motorcycles.
Robbery and theft, on the other hand, reduced by 68 percent and 67 percent respectively — from 2,036 to 658 for robbery and from 4,246 to 1,391 for theft.
There was a decrease of 37 percent in murder case, or from 1,486 to 932; while 30 percent in homicide cases, or from 359 to 252. For physical injury cases, a 38 percent decrease was recorded, or from 2,171 to 1,348.
For rape, there was a reduction of 49 percent, or from 1,738 to 885 cases.
Eleazar said that in Luzon, the eight-focus crime rate went down by 61 percent, or from 6,922 cases to 2,720 incidents, recorded during the same period.
In the Visayas, the focus crime rate slipped to 54 percent and decreased from 3,344 cases to 1,546 incidents during the same period.
In Mindanao, there was a 49 percent decrease based on the 2,738 cases recorded that went down to 1,386.
“The quarantine did not deter the PNP from pursuing criminals as we conducted numerous operations all over the country,” said Gamboa.
“This sends a clear message to the public that there is no let-up in our campaign against lawless elements. Then and now, we will go after them,” he added. (Aaron Recuenco)
