Robbery and theft cases were reduced by 60 percent in the first 200 days of the community quarantine since March 17 compared to the same period before stricter measures were strictly implemented to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Overall, the Joint Task Force COVID Shield said the Philippines has recorded a 46 percent decline for the eight focus crimes of the Philippine National Police (PNP) — murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motorcycles and carnapping of cars.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, commander of the JTF COVID Shield, said the data in the past 200 days continue to defy expectations and perceptions that of a sudden increase on crime, particularly robbery and theft, as the pandemic brought loss of livelihood and other economic difficulties.
“While the community quarantine denied criminal elements the usual opportunity to strike, the increased police visibility down to the barangay level is a big factor in reducing criminal incidents across the country,” said PLt. Gen. Eleazar.
PNP Chief General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan earlier ordered all police commanders to continuously beef up the police presence in every community in partnership with the barangay officials not only to maintain peace and order but also as part of the measures against the COVID-19.
Based on the JTF COVID data through the PNP, there were a total of 18,683 crimes recorded under the Eight Focus Crime from March 17 to October 2 this year, compared to 34,768 criminal incidents from August 30, 2019 to March 16, 2020.
“Translated to a daily crime average, the Philippines has recorded an average of 93 criminal incidents per day during the 200-day implementation of the community quarantine compared to 174 per day incidents of the 200-day period before the community quarantine implementation,” said PLt. Gen. Eleazar.
The biggest decline was recorded for Motorcycle Carnapping which recorded a 64 percent decline, or from 2,210 cases to only 786 during the quarantine period.
Cases of robbery are down by 61 percent, or from 5,627 cases to only 2,073. Theft and Carnapping of cars both recorded a 60 percent decline — from 11,653 cases to 4,690 cases for theft, and from 240 cases for Carnapping of cars down to only 97.
For cases of physical injury, there was a decline of 38 percent, or from 5,958 to 3,692. Rape cases, on the other hand, recorded a 23 percent decline, or from 5,080 to 3,911.
Murder cases are down by 20 percent, or from 3,463 to 2,761 while Homicide cases declined by 25 percent, or from 897 to 673 cases.
PLt. Gen. Eleazar urged all police commanders to continue the coordination with the Local Government Units (LGUs), saying local officials and the community play a key role in anti-crime efforts of the PNP.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) Eduardo Año earlier said government law enforcers and other authorities cannot succeed in both anti-crime an anti-COVID efforts since local officials and people in the community are integral parts of peace and order and health safety.
Año is also the vice Chairman of the National Task Force on COVID-19.