Manila: The government claims that the crime rate in Metro Manila continues to go down as it credited the efforts of the current administration for this success.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the government’s relentless campaign against drugs and criminality had resulted in the decline of incidents of robbery/hold-up by 39.5 per cent; theft decreased by 35.6 per cent; auto theft went down by 67 per cent; motorcycle theft down by 63 per cent; and rape cases dropped by 27 per cent.
“The streets and neighbourhoods in Metro Manila are now safer and more secure — thanks to the government’s campaign against drugs and criminality,” Abella told media.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would launch a campaign against criminality in order to improve the peace and order situation and improve conditions for doing business in the country.
The Presidential Palace said that with the improved situation in Metro Manila, other parts of the country would follow suit.
Meanwhile, the interior department defended its move to put boxes in communities where citizens can anonymously drop feedback and suggestions on the government’s drive against illegal drugs, criminality, corruption and violent extremism.
Interior and Local Government OIC-Secretary Catalino S. Cuy said the drop boxes are not intended to fish for names of alleged drug suspects.
The drop box system had received criticism from various groups who fear that the anonymous feedback scheme would be used by people with vile intentions to accuse their neighbours of imagined wrongdoing.
Cuy said the drop box system, called the Masa Masid or Community Initiative Against Drugs and Anomalies, is just one of the channels by which the public may provide feedback, comments, suggestions or recommendations to the government on its anti-criminality drive for proper assessment and referral to appropriate agencies.
Other such mediums are through a hotline, electronic mail, short messaging system or texts.
“Of course, all the information given through the drop box will have to be checked, validated and verified. There is going to be a process in handling these. We won’t take everything hook, line and sinker,” Cuy said.
Currently, 127,959 Filipinos nationwide have registered as Masa Masid volunteers.
