Eight focus crimes at ''all-time low'' during quarantine: PNP
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said eight focus crimes dipped sharply ''to an all-time low'' during the community quarantine period.
Data from the Joint Task Force COVID Shield showed that during the 84-day community quarantine period, crimes dropped 57 percent or 7,352 cases fewer from 13,004 cases from Dec 24, 2019 to Mar 16, 2020 and down to 5,652 cases from Mar 17 to June 8, 2020.
"The Philippine National Police noted the eight focus crimes dipping sharply to its all-time low in a span of 84-days under the community quarantine period," PNP chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa said in a statement.
“The quarantine did not deter the PNP from pursuing criminals as we conducted numerous operations all over the country. 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,” added Gamboa.
The eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motorcycles and carnapping of motor vehicles.
Comparing data before community quarantine and after it was implemented, murder went down from 1, 486 to 932; homicide from 359 to 252, physical injury from 2, 171 to 1, 348; rape from 1, 738 to 885, robbery from 2, 036 to 658, theft from 4, 246 to 1, 391; carnapping of motorcycles from 880 to 170, and carnapping of motor vehicles from 88 to 16.
In Luzon, the eight focus crime rate went down by 61 percent from 6,922 cases to 2,720 incidents recorded during the same period.
And in Visayas, the focus crime rate slipped to 54 percent and decreased from 3,344 cases to 1,546 incidents during the same period while Mindanao showed a 49 percent decrease based on the 2,738 cases recorded which went down to 1,386.
As for community quarantine violators, a total of 193,779 have been warned, fined and arrested.
Gamboa said most violators are from Luzon with 126,038 violators, while Visayas and Mindanao posed 34,370 and 33,371 violators, respectively.
Police, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, also captured 885 suspects responsible for hoarding, and profiteering or manipulating prices of essential goods, while 15, 119 public utility vehicle operators or drivers were arrested as of June 8.
“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,” Gamboa said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
