PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa said on Tuesday, March 31, that the national crime rate has gone down by 56 percent following the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as a measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
He said the decrease in the crime rate nationwide can be attributed to the successful implementation of the ECQ.
"Ang pinakamaganda, siguro dahil halos lahat ng tao nasa bahay, generally nationwide, 'yung ating tinatawag na focused crimes, these are robbery, theft, physical injury, robbery-murder and carnapping, generally bumaba siya ng mga 56 percent to be exact for last week," Gamboa said.
"On a national scope, I would say successful naman ang ating implementation of the enhanced community quarantine... Basically the PNP enforces this... of course kailangan din natin ng tulong lalo na ng barangay level na basically caution 'yung mga tao na stay on their home," he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine in a bid to stop the spread of the Covid-19, a respiratory disease caused by the infectious novel coronavirus, or Sars-CoV-2.
Public transport systems are suspended, food and health services are regulated, and more uniformed men are deployed to encourage the people to stay in their homes.
Other areas in the country have also implemented localized quarantine rules.
Gamboa assured that the government’s anti-illegal drugs operations as well as police operations against erring cops continue.
In Novaliches, police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested a drug suspect during a buy bust operation on Monday evening, March 30.
The arrested suspect was identified as Regine Legazpi, who yielded over two kilograms of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride with a street value of P14.280-million.
National Capital Region Police Office Director Debold Sinas said the operation was an offshoot of an anti-drug sting in the same area where they arrested two drug suspects who yielded over P2 million worth of illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, in Marikina, policemen arrested two of their colleagues identified as Patrolmen Arnold Geroy and Sonny Maruzzo for allegedly raping two female detainees.
According to the victims, the incident happened after the two policemen conducted custodial debriefing on them.
The two cops were immediately arrested and removed from post. (SunStar Philippines)