NATION

Common crime rate drops to 10%; cybercrime hits record-high 8%

Marie Cris Estrada · Sep 15, 2026, 3:08 PM

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) investigate the lifeless body of a seven-year-old boy who allegedly fell into the Dario River while flying a kite in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, on Monday afternoon. Due to heavy rain and the strong water flow, the body was later found in the San Juan River in Barangay Apolonio Samson, Quezon City. — Photo by Analy Labor for DAILY TRIBUNE

Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported a decline in families victimized by common crimes, with the rate falling to 10 percent in June 2026 from 12.3 percent in March — the highest recorded since September 2010.

Despite the decline, concerns over neighborhood safety grew, with 62 percent saying people in their neighborhood fear burglary, up from 60 percent, while 59 percent feared walking the streets at night, up from 55 percent.

Perceived drug-addict visibility remained nearly unchanged at 51 percent nationwide, compared with 50 percent in March.

Metro Manila posted the highest levels of neighborhood insecurity, with 75 percent fearing burglary, 72 percent citing unsafe streets at night and 66 percent reporting many drug addicts in their neighborhoods.

Property crime victimization fell from 11.5 percent to 9.1 percent. Street robbery dropped from 8.9 percent to 7.3 percent, break-ins from 4.6 percent to 3.5 percent and carnapping among vehicle-owning families from 1.1 percent to 0.3 percent. Physical violence also eased from 1.7 percent to 1.4 percent.

Cybercrime, however, climbed from 5.8 percent to a record-high 8 percent, the highest since SWS began tracking it in June 2023.

Cybercrime rose to 13.4 percent in Metro Manila, 10.4 percent in the Visayas and 8.8 percent in Mindanao, while Balance Luzon bucked the trend, easing slightly to 5.1 percent.