The Philippine National Police reported a sustained decline in focus crimes nationwide over a three-year period, citing continued improvements in peace and order.

Data showed focus crime incidents dropped from 3,961 in April 2024 to 3,002 in April 2025, and further to 2,616 in April 2026, marking a 34 percent reduction over the period.

The PNP said major crimes such as murder, homicide, rape and carnapping posted consistent declines, contributing to the overall drop.

Monthly data for 2026 also showed a downward trend, with 2,607 incidents recorded in February, 2,394 in March and 2,166 in April. This reflects an 8.2 percent decrease from February to March, a 9.5 percent decline from March to April, and a total 17 percent reduction from February to April.

Focus crimes include murder, homicide, rape, physical injury, carnapping of motorcycles and motor vehicles, and theft.

“But there are focus crimes na masasabi naman natin tumaas. But the point here is generally, all of the focus crimes, kapag pinagsama-sama… it is more than 30 percent compared to 2024 and 2025,” PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.said at Camp Crame.

Nartatez attributed the April figures in part to the rollout of the Safer Cities Initiative, which strengthened police visibility, coordination with local government units and targeted deployment in urban crime-prone areas.

“These numbers show that our efforts are working, but we will not be complacent. Tuloy-tuloy ang ating trabaho para mas mapababa pa ang krimen at mas mapalapit ang serbisyo sa tao,” he said.

The campaign, launched by the Department of the Interior and Local Government on 6 April, enforces local ordinances such as a 10 p.m. curfew for minors, a ban on public drinking and restrictions on late-night activities.

CIDG operations

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group reported the arrest of 1,124 individuals and the seizure of more than P1.6 billion worth of evidence in April.

CIDG chief Robert Morico II said operations targeted illegal activities such as counterfeit goods, petroleum pilferage, illegal logging, gambling and mining.

From 1 April to 30 April, the CIDG conducted 943 operations and filed 143 criminal complaints before the National Prosecution Service.

Among those arrested were 622 wanted persons, including two national most wanted individuals, 105 regional most wanted, 125 provincial most wanted and 96 city or municipal most wanted.

Authorities also seized 155 loose firearms and 38 explosives during the operations.

“Our focus goes beyond making arrests; we are dedicated to conducting circumspect detection and thorough investigations to ensure the filing of airtight complaints… with the end goal of helping all victims attain the justice they truly deserve,” Morico said.