The crime volume nationwide fell by at least 21 percent, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Saturday.

The PNP recorded 5,939 focus crimes from Jan. 1 to March 9, compared to 7,583 during the same period in 2023, down 21.68 percent.

Focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, vehicle theft, motorcycle theft and rape.

Rape registered the biggest decline with 51.86 percent from 1,984 incidents to 955 cases followed by car theft with 50 percent, from 60 to 30, and physical injury, which went down to 728 from 904, down 19.47 percent.

PNP said cases of homicide went down from 196 to 188, a decline of 4.08 percent while murder went down by 2.61 percent from 765 to 745. DMS