Crimes in NCR down by 57% under Duterte Government

MANILA, Philippines — Major crimes including murder and rape have declined by 57.69 percent in Metro Manila during the first 35 months of the Duterte administration, a police official said yesterday.

Major or focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, carjacking.

Prior to the assumption of office by President Duterte in July of 2016, the crime volume in Metro Manila was pegged at 21,782, said Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Eleazar said the crime volume declined to 18,580 in 2017; 14,911 in 2018 and 5,277 from January to May of this year.

The NCRPO chief attributed the decreasing trend of the crime rate in Metro Manila to the trust and confidence of the public in the police as more citizens are reporting crimes in their community.

“Because of our cooperation and collaboration with the public, we have improved our security measures and because of the efforts of this administration through its intensified campaign against all forms of criminality, particularly the campaign against illegal drugs,” Eleazar said.

He noted that drug addicts who are behind criminality in Metro Manila have either been killed or arrested and jailed.

“We can now say in honesty that we are winning this war against illegal drugs as can be shown by more than 50 percent reduction of crime in Metro Manila,” he added. 

The NCRPO is also at the height of its campaign to put all wanted persons behind bars.

“With these wanted persons in jail, the crime volume in Metro Manila would be at its lowest ebb as the term of President Duterte would be over in 2022,” Eleazar said.