Violent crimes across Metro Manila dropped during the first two weeks of a new government security initiative, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.

Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones, PNP director for operations, said crimes against persons — including murder, homicide, physical injury and rape — declined following the launch of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) “Safer Cities” program.

Data comparing the pre-implementation period of 28 March to 5 April with the post-implementation period of 6 to 14 April showed a marked decrease in violence.

Murder cases decreased 9.8 percent, from 91 to 82 incidents, while homicides dropped 39.3 percent, from 28 to 17 cases. Physical injury cases fell 22.7 percent, from 132 to 102 incidents, and rape cases declined 22.9 percent, from 96 to 74.

“With the implementation of our Safer Cities initiative... crimes against persons are lower now,” Peñones said.

The PNP attributed the decline to intensified police visibility and stricter enforcement. However, Peñones cited that theft cases rose by 1.5 percent during the same period. He said the PNP is continuously revisiting interventions to address the uptick in property crimes.

The crackdown has also resulted in thousands of arrests for local ordinance violations. On Wednesday, police apprehended 6,332 violators, a decrease from the daily average of 9,751 seen during the program’s first week.

Of those apprehended Wednesday, 1,588 were cited for drinking in public, 438 for curfew violations, 199 for loitering topless, and 46 for using karaoke machines past 10 p.m. Another 4,061 individuals were cited for other local ordinances.

Police said 3,377 of those violators were warned and released, while 2,843 were fined and 112 faced criminal charges.

Meantime, PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said in a statement that the trend reflects the importance of community cooperation and a consistent police presence.

“We can see the continuous effect of our presence on the streets,” Nartatez said. “When the public feels the police, the opportunities for crime are reduced.”

Nartatez assured the public that checkpoints and community engagement operations will be sustained to maintain the downward trend in crime nationwide.