Focused police operations drive down murder, rape, theft cases

Major crimes in the country fell by 25 percent during the first two months of 2026, a decline the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief attributed Monday to data-driven deployment and faster response times.

Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. reported that “focus crimes” dropped to 4,532 incidents between 1 January and 28 February, compared to 6,081 cases during the same period last year.

The decline spanned several major categories, with murder cases falling from 586 to 505 and reported rapes dropping from 1,563 to 605. Theft cases also decreased from 1,964 to 1,769, while motorcycle thefts fell from 380 to 295.

For the month of February alone, focus crimes totaled 2,269 cases, down from 2,835 in February 2025. During that month, murder cases decreased from 270 to 242, physical injuries from 368 to 284, and rape from 707 to 301.

Nartatez attributed the drop to focused operations under the Enhanced Managing Police Operations strategy.

He cited that the success stems from more efficient deployment, quicker response, and effective coordination with local government units.

In addition to the crime drop, the PNP reported massive enforcement results for February. Authorities seized P6.5 billion worth of suspected illegal drugs, including 25.14 kilograms of shabu and over 1.2 million marijuana plants. A total of 4,782 individuals were arrested on drug-related charges, while two suspects were killed during police operations.

The police force also conducted 1,520 anti-smuggling operations in February, resulting in the arrest of 522 individuals and the confiscation of P1.55 billion in contraband.

Furthermore, 980 people were arrested and 3,049 guns were taken into custody for violations of the Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Nartatez also directed the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management to review cases against officers implicated in alleged killings dating back to July 2022. He told DIDM director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay to gather and analyze the data to “cleanse” the ranks.

The PNP reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the peace and development agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under the banner of “Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas.”