Palace to ‘Baste’ Duterte: Check your crime rate facts

Metro Manila, Philippines – The crime rate during the Duterte administration was higher compared to the present, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in response to a claim ofDavao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte.

During a podcast, Baste said the Marcos administration does not threaten criminals and is, in fact, very lenient toward them, resulting in a higher crime rate.

"Lenient talaga ang ano, wala ka narinig ang presidente na i-threatening criminals wala talaga," said Duterte during the online show. [Translation: It’s really lenient, you don’t hear the president threatening criminals, not at all].

In response, the Palace said that data would show the crime rate was actually higher during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Ang tanong natin, saan ba niya nakuha ang mga data, iyong mga facts na binabanggit niya na lenient ang bagong pamahalaan o ang kasalukuyang administrasyon patungkol sa paggawa ng krimen? Sinabi na po natin ito, panahon po ni dating Pangulong Duterte, mas mataas po ang crime rate kung ikukumpara po sa panahon ng kasalukuyang administrasyon – iyan po ay base sa statistics," said Castro.

[Translation: Our question is, where did he get his data, the facts he is citing that the new government or the current administration is lenient regarding crime? We have already stated this: during former President Duterte’s time, the crime rate was higher compared to the current administration – this is based on statistics.]

"Siguro po bago po magbintang at magparatang si Mayor Baste patungkol sa diumanong leniency ng Pangulo ng kasalukuyang administrasyon patungkol sa pagsasagawa ng krimen, tingnan niya po muna at araling mabuti, makipag-usap sa mga abogado para malaman kung ano ang totoong records. Mas mataas po ang crime rate sa panahon ng kaniyang ama," she added.

[Translation: Perhaps before Mayor Baste makes accusations about the supposed leniency of the president or the current administration regarding crime, he should first check and study the data carefully, consult with legal experts to understand the actual records. The crime rate was higher during his father’s time]

The Philippine National Police (PNP) recently reported that the overall crime rate declined by 26.76 percent in the first six weeks of the year. The PNP recorded 3,528 cases of focus or common crimes from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14, marking a 26.76 percent decrease compared to the 4,817 cases in the same period last year.

A comparison of crime rates between the two administrations was also made by Justice Secretary Boying Remulla last year.

Remulla said in October that index crimes from July 1, 2022, to July 28, 2024, dropped to 83,059 from 217,830 during the same period in the first two years of Duterte’s term from 2016 to 2018, reflecting a decrease of 61.87 percent. The PNP reported that cases of murder, homicide, physical injuries, and rape declined by 55.69 percent.