Former President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Monday that drug-related crimes are increasing again in the Philippines. However, officials from Malacañang, the presidential palace, quickly disagreed with him.
Duterte shared his concerns during a Senate hearing, saying, “It’s sad that drug-related crimes are happening again. Every day, we hear about terrible things like children being hurt, people getting killed and robbed, and just recently, a drug den was found near Malacañang.”
He suggested that those involved in the drug trade are back in action.
In response, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said there is no truth to Duterte’s claim. He shared that data from the Philippine National Police shows crime rates have actually gone down.
“There has been a big drop in crime overall,” Bersamin said. “We have kept peace and order without ignoring the rights of any Filipino.”
Bersamin also mentioned the recent drug raid in San Miguel, Manila, which Duterte talked about, saying it was based on old information. He explained that one person was arrested during that raid and police are still looking for another suspect.
Bersamin concluded by saying, “Our country is safer, our people feel secure, and our future looks bright under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla also disagreed with Duterte’s views. He stated that the safety of the country has improved significantly.
“While we respect former President Duterte, we believe his thoughts about rising crime don’t match the reality shown by the data,” Remulla said. “Keeping peace and order is very important to the Marcos Administration, and we are committed to ensuring that our nation is more stable and secure.”
Remulla pointed out that, according to the Philippine National Police, crimes went down by 10.66% from July 2022 to January 2024 compared to the previous period. He noted that seven out of eight major crimes, like rape, robbery, and murder, have decreased, with only theft increasing slightly.
During the same hearing, Duterte said he would take full legal responsibility for the killings that happened during his tough drug campaign. He defended the police involved in that campaign and asked to be treated as a “witness” by the Senate panel.
