MANILA, Philippines – National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Thursday, July 14, said the crime statistics in the country have been “significantly reduced” amid the new government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs. 

Speaking at a gun show exhibit in Mandaluyong, Dela Rosa, citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), said index crimes or “common crimes” have gone down.  

“Kasi related ‘yan eh….’Pag nagpursigi ka sa drugs, ‘yung ibang crimes against property, persons, bababa rin ‘yan eh. Medyo humina na ‘yung loob ng masasamang tao na gumawa ng kalokohan kasi hindi na sila nagshashabu eh,” he said in a chance interview.

(It’s related…If you pursue operations against drugs, other crimes like crimes against property and persons go down because bad elements are losing the courage to commit crimes because they’re not using shabu anymore.)

The exact data from the PNP has yet to be made available to the media. 

Both Dela Rosa and President Rodrigo Duterte had made the same pronouncements before – that other forms of crime trace their roots to drug use. 

Tens of thousands across the country have surrendered to authorities for using or selling drugs while hundreds have been killed in police operations and in some cases, apparent executions by other forces. 

But the campaign has had its share of critics. Legislators led by Senator Leila de Lima, former justice secretary, want to launch congressional probes into alleged instances of summary killings during police operations. 

The new administration, however, has insisted on the “presumption of regularity” in these operations. Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier hit De Lima, saying that she only wants a probe for media mileage.

Dela Rosa himself has hit De Lima for “legally harassing” the police force and scaring his personnel from performing their tasks. But on Thursday, he apparently softened his stance against the senator, saying it was her job and her call to launch a probe. 

The PNP chief told reporters in a separate event in Cavite that summary killings weren’t done by cops but by drug syndicates who want dealers killed for failing to remit money as a result of police operations.  (READ: Dela Rosa: ‘Drug syndicates killing each other’)

Curbing crime, illegal drugs, and corruption was among Duterte’s key promises in the 2016 elections. – Rappler.com