(Eagle News) – The country’s total crime volume dropped 34.45% during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Thursday, May 7.
In a statement, PNP Chief Archie Gamboa said the national total crime volume dropped “from 58,705 cases in the period February 1 to March 16, down to only 38,484 cases in March 17 to April 30 under ECQ.”
Serious or index crimes – murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, carjacking, carnapping of motorcyle, and rape – also dropped from 6,756 cases in February 1 to March 16, down to only 2,669 cases during the ECQ period.
Instead, most crimes being recorded are those concerning violations of ECQ guidelines, as well as digital crimes including circulation of disinformation and fake news.
“Non-Index Crime or less serious crimes comprise 91.92% of the Total Crime Volume, but despite the larger number, Non-Index Crime cases are not accurate indicators of the total prevailing crime situation, rather, it reflects the effectiveness of police operations in the enforcement of special laws, statutes and local ordinances”, the statement said.
The shift in crime trend, according to the PNP, can be attributed to the restricted movement of people, the increased presence of law enforcers, and the liquor ban and quarantine protocol implemented during the ECQ.
“[I]f this trend can be sustained under the new normal when the ECQ shall have been eventually downgraded, we can look forward to better days ahead with less crime and lesser fear of crime”, Gamboa said in the statement.
Eagle News Service
