PNP reports decline in 8 'focus crimes' 

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said eight "focus crimes" decreased by 8.18 percent from January to October compared to the same period in 2022, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

The so-called eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, car theft and motorcycle theft.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said there 31,864 of such crimes as of October, down from 34,702 last year.

“We can attribute this decrease in the first 10 months of the year to our efforts to improve security nationwide," she said.

She said she believes the PNP’s strong information dissemination campaign also contributed in making the public more aware on ways they can ensure their security.

Meanwhile, she assured the public that the PNP is on alert as the Christmas season approaches, anticipating an increase in “crimes against property."

“But the PNP, together with other security forces, are confident that we will maintain this improved crime trend through our close cooperation with other security forces,” she said.

Death of ‘Johnny Walker’

On the slay of radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon, Fajardo said the police is close to identifying the second suspect.

She said one of the three attackers might have also figured in another shooting incident that targeted a municipal engineer in Calamba, Misamis Occidental in October 2023.

Fajardo said the gun used in the killing of Jumalon matched the one used in the municipal engineer’s case.

“Hinihintay natin ngayon kung siya ay makikipag-cooperate dahil we are of the belief na itong primary suspect sa kaso ni engineer ay isa doon sa dalawang suspects pa na hindi na-identify dito sa kaso ni (We are waiting now if he will cooperate because we are of the belief that this primary suspect in the engineer's case is one of the two suspects who have not been identified in the case of) Mr. Jumalon,” she said.