THE country’s crime rate declined by 24 percent in January this year compared to the same month in 2025, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday. In the comparative data released by the PNP, focus crimes went down from 3,266 in 2025 to 2,449 in 2026, marking a 24.32 percent decrease from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2026. Classified as focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, vehicle theft, and motorcycle theft.
Murder cases decreased from 316 to 284, homicide from 104 to 83, and physical injuries from 409 to 283. Rape cases also decreased from 848 to 331, carjacking incidents involving motor vehicles decreased from 25 to 17, while motorcycle thefts dipped from 189 to 144. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez attributed the downward trend to the Enhanced Managing Police Operations under the PNP Focused Agenda, which focuses on better supervision, clearer direction for field units, and faster police response.
“We don’t just look at the number of operations or delays. For us, it’s important that people feel their community is safer. When crime decreases, it is an indication that what we are doing is having a positive impact,” Nartatez told reporters during a press briefing held at Camp Crame on Monday.
For January alone, the PNP arrested 7,159 fugitives — 2,086 of them were most wanted, and 5,073 were wanted. The PNP has also carried out 4,491 anti-narcotics operations, arrested 5,062 individuals and confiscated 39 kilos of shabu, 575,000 dried marijuana leaves, 1.5 million pieces of marijuana plants, and 3,100 Kush marijuana, totaling P651 million in standard drug price.
As a result of the PNP’s anti-smuggling campaign, 688 operations were conducted with 436 people arrested. The total amount of confiscated smuggled goods hit P1.95 billion. The campaign against loose firearms led to the arrest of 358 individuals and the confiscation of 2,064 firearms, Nartatez said.
“This result shows that the Philippine National Police is serious in keeping our community safe and is relentless in pursuing fugitives, dismantling illegal drug networks, stopping smuggling, and taking illegal firearms off the streets,” he added.
The PNP assured the public that police units nationwide will continue to intensify patrols, strengthen community coordination, and strictly monitor police performance to sustain the downward trend.
