Safer streets?

Wesley Baltazar’s letter to DAILY TRIBUNE on Saturday dripped with sarcasm, encapsulating a sentiment shared by many Filipinos: skepticism over the police’s self-congratulatory crime statistics. Baltazar’s distrust is not paranoia but a reflection of lived realities.

The National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO) claim of a 10.62-percent drop in crime incidents from November to December, alongside a nearly 12-percent reduction in focus crimes, sounds fantastic. Add the reported 1,200 arrests, millions of pesos in confiscated drugs, and seized firearms, and one might think Metro Manila is becoming a utopia.

But, as Baltazar wryly noted, these figures may only shine on paper. His personal anecdote of a phone-snatching incident — perhaps aggravated by the lapse of texting in public — points to a deeper issue, a stark disconnect between statistical “victories” and the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

Reporting crimes, Baltazar said, is “a masterclass in futility.” Perhaps it is better described as a bureaucratic exercise divorced from the realities of daily life. Meanwhile, the NCRPO’s reported crime clearance (98.86 percent) and solution efficiency (96.03 percent) rates, which seem implausibly high, only deepen public skepticism.

Are these numbers signs of genuine progress, or are they seasonal blips resulting from heightened vigilance during the holidays?

As someone who has taught young police officers now patrolling the streets, I see this distrust in law enforcement not as uniquely Filipino but as a global phenomenon. Corruption, inefficiency, and abuse of power have tainted police reputations worldwide.

The Philippines, of course, is no exception. Police are often seen as reactive rather than proactive, or worse, as abusers of power instead of protectors. Scandals — like officers pilfering seized drugs for resale or engaging in extrajudicial killings — shatter trust even in earnest initiatives.

Globally, similar issues persist. In the United States, for instance, police forces face mounting criticism for their inability to prevent large-scale crimes despite access to cutting-edge technology and vast resources. The recent New Orleans truck-ramming incident during the New Year’s Eve revelry is a chilling example.

Despite heavy policing, the attack left over a dozen dead, proving once again that most police forces respond to crimes with the speed of turtles. Time and again, victims are left asking, “Where were the police when we needed them most?”

This brings us to the Philippines’ six-month gun ban for the 2025 election season — the longest in the nation’s history starting the middle of this month. While intended to curb election-related violence, it may inadvertently leave law-abiding citizens vulnerable. Criminals, unbound by legal constraints, thrive on such short-sighted policies, emboldened by the knowledge that only uniformed officers stand in their way.

Public safety is about more than law enforcement; it is about empowering communities to protect themselves when the system falters. The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to life and liberty. Denying responsible gun owners the ability to defend themselves is not just unjust but dangerously myopic.

As the NCRPO touts its achievements and Comelec enforces its stringent gun ban, we must confront a hard truth: safety is not a promise that governments can fulfill alone. It is a shared responsibility. Until law-abiding citizens are trusted as partners for their own security, safer streets will remain a mirage.