PNP: More crime victims due to holidays, better reporting

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has attributed the increase in the number of people who fell victim to crimes over the past three months to the holiday season and the public’s confidence in reporting unlawful acts to the authorities.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde issued the statement yesterday in response to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that revealed 6.1 percent of the population or 1.4 million Filipinos became victims of common crimes from July to September this year.

Certain types of crime are “seasonal” in terms of frequency, which become more prevalent when the element of opportunity is present such as during the holiday season when the objects of crime abound, according to Albayalde. These include street crimes such as theft and burglary.

The number is an improvement from the 6.6-percent crime victimization rate posted in the first quarter from January to March and the double digit 11.4 percent from April to June, the PNP chief said.

Albayalde pointed out that the rate of crime victimization during the first quarter of the year was at 1.5 million people or 6.6 percent of the population and that there was an improvement during the second quarter as the number went down to 5.4 percent or about 1.2 million victims.

The same survey showed an improvement in the feeling of safety and security of citizens against crimes against property, from 55 percent in June to 52 percent in September.

“Overall, we take this empirical measure of public perception of experience with crime as an indication of greater feeling of safety from crime and subsequently lesser fear of crime,” the PNP chief said.

The PNP is reinforcing focused police operations against street crimes and other forms of criminal activity that are prevalent during the holiday season. These include non-contact crime committed through cyberspace and telecommunication platforms.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. said crime has three elements: opportunity, instrumentality and motive.