MANILA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The index crime rate in the Philippines has gone down by 31.67 percent during the first five months of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration compared with the same period last year, a senior government official said Monday.
Citing a report of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the index crime volume declined by 25,673 to 55,391 in the July-November period from 81,064 a year ago.
Index crimes are defined by the PNP as crimes against persons, such as murder, homicide, physical injury, and rape; and crimes against property like robbery, theft, carnapping, and cattle rustling.
Non-index crimes are non-willing crimes such as drug possession, driving under the influence, fraud, prostitution and so on.
"The Philippines is now safer from theft, carnapping, robbery, physical injury, and rape," Andanar said.
PNP data showed crimes against property fell by 42.48 percent to 29,953 in July to November, while crimes against persons dropped by 12.25 percent to 25,438.
Overall, Andanar said crime incidents continued to decline across the country since Duterte assumed office on June 30.
The total crime volume, which includes the index crimes and non-index crimes, in July to November reached 244,637, lower by 12.44 percent from 279,378 a year ago.
"I am calling on the people to continue cooperating with the police to further bring down crime incidents in the country," Andanar said.
One of the major priorities of the Duterte administration is to address peace and order in the country. He has declared a war against illegal drugs.
