HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has defended the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) report showing a decline in the national crime rate, saying one incident should not be used to discredit nationwide data.
Adiong’s remarks came amid renewed concerns over public safety following the recent kidnap-slay of Chinese businessman Anson Que in Rodriguez, Rizal. The victim was reportedly targeted by a kidnap-for-ransom group linked to the outlawed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO).
“One incident cannot just overrun and overhaul the data gathered by the PNP,” said Adiong, chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation.
“Because we rely based on the rate, crime rate as submitted by the PNP and all of the data we presume to be coming from the different PNP headquarters across the country,” he added.
“So I will stand by the rate, crime rate that has gone down as submitted by the PNP as something that is official. One incident cannot overhaul entirely the data, the official data that was collected by our different PNP posts all over the country. And what it says is the crime rate has gone down,” Adiong said.
According to PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, their data shows a 26.76-percent drop in focus crimes—from 4,817 cases between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14, 2024, to 3,528 in the same period this year.
Focus crimes include theft, robbery, rape, murder, homicide, physical injury, and theft of motorcycles and motor vehicles. Among these, rape saw the sharpest decline, dropping by over 50 percent.
Year-on-year data also reflected a 7.31-percent decrease in focus crimes, from 41,717 cases in 2023 to 38,667 in 2024.
When asked about the impact of Que’s murder, Adiong said he could not comment on the specific case as he had not yet seen detailed reports.
Asked whether the killing could scare off foreign investors, Adiong pointed to strong economic indicators that continue to boost international confidence in the country.
“The inflation rate has gone down. It’s 1.8 percent now,” he said.
“Our credit rating in the international community is very stable and we have gathered the confidence of our international partners as far as our credit rating is concerned,” Adiong said.
“I don’t see any reason why one incident would try to just simply dispel all of these achievements and progress that we have attained insofar as the issue of international investment is concerned,” Adiong said.
Still, he reiterated the need for due process and swift action by law enforcement.
“Again, if that is the case, I believe that person deserves justice. So, I personally would like to call on the PNP to do a thorough investigation on this,” Adiong said.