THE Philippine National Police (PNP) confiscated more than P387 million worth of illegal drugs in operations conducted nationwide throughout July 2026.
PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said from July 1 to 31, the PNP carried out 5,526 anti-illegal drug operations, resulting in the seizure of illegal drugs worth more than P387 million and the arrest of 6,368 drug personalities.
He added that the PNP also arrested 8,199 fugitives, including 2,352 most wanted persons and 5,847 other wanted individuals, as part of its campaign against wanted persons.
Under the PNP’s campaign against loose firearms, 965 violators were arrested, Nartatez said.
He added that 3,724 firearms were “captured, surrendered, or confiscated” for violations of existing firearms laws, while 1,106 firearms were voluntarily turned over to the PNP for safekeeping.
Gambling, smuggling
Nartatez said 9,401 individuals were arrested in 4,631 anti-illegal gambling operations conducted in July, resulting in the confiscation of P3.2 million in cash and gambling paraphernalia.
In the PNP’s anti-smuggling campaign, 656 individuals were arrested in 2,927 operations, which also led to the seizure of smuggled goods worth P628 million.
The PNP chief also reported a 36.12 percent decline in recorded focus crimes compared with the same period last year.
Focus crimes are major offenses that law enforcement agencies closely monitor as indicators of the peace and order situation in an area. These include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, and carnapping.
Nartatez said focus crime incidents declined from 3,458 in July 2025 to 2,209 in July 2026.
He said rape recorded the biggest decline at 56.93 percent, followed by carnapping of motor vehicles at 46.15 percent and carnapping of motorcycles at 42.59 percent.
“These results reflect the continuing efforts of the PNP, together with our communities and partner agencies, to prevent crime, strengthen police visibility, and keep our neighborhoods safe,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Western Visayas, recorded focus crimes dropped by 38.09 percent.
Police Regional Office 6 Acting Regional Director Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said the decline reflects the sustained gains of intensified police operations and strengthened community partnerships.
Among the focus crime categories, rape posted the biggest decline at 78.26 percent, dropping from 46 cases to 10.
This was followed by carnapping of motorcycles, which fell by 76.92 percent, from 13 cases to three.
Murder cases declined by 28.57 percent, from 14 to 10, while physical injury cases dropped by 20 percent, from 30 to 24.
Robbery decreased by 15.38 percent, from 13 to 11 cases, while theft fell by 13.63 percent, from 44 to 38 cases. Homicide remained unchanged at eight cases during both periods.
“These numbers reflect the collective effort of our police officers and our communities to make Western Visayas safer. We will continue building on these gains by strengthening police visibility, improving response capabilities, and working closely with our stakeholders to prevent crime before it happens,” said Tuaño.
“Crime prevention works best when the police and the community move together. We encourage everyone to stay alert, look after one another, and never hesitate to report concerns. Every piece of information shared responsibly contributes to a safer community,” Tuaño added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)