By Christine Fabro
The country logged a lower index crime rate for the first quarter of 2023 with 7,865 cases, compared to the 9,375 incidents reported during the same period last year.
Latest data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed the nationwide index crime from Jan. 1 to March 25 dropped by about 16%.
Index crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, and car and motorcycle theft.
PNP said car theft cases declined by 41.46%, while cases of physical injury dropped by 32.94%.
It also noted the declined number of rape cases from 2,254 last year to the recent quarter’s 1,593.
There were also 2,647 motorcycle theft cases, 1,080 rape cases, 920 murder crimes, and 229 homicide cases recorded from Jan. 1 to March 25.
Moreover, the PNP reported that 17,418 wanted persons were arrested from Jan. 1 to March 24, while P1.36 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized. Of this, 14,481 cases were filed against the arrested drug suspects. –ag