Año: COVID-19 crisis 'positive' for peace and order

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año described as "positive" the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on peace and order in the Philippines.

Crime incidents across the country went down by 60 percent since the community quarantine to contain the spread of the virus was implemented, he said.

“First of all kung mayroong isang positive na nadala ang COVID crisis na ‘to ay sa larangan ng peace and order,” Año said in President Rodrigo Duterte’s nationally-televised address.

Año reported that crimes committed in the country have decreased from March 17 to May 27, compared to January 5 to March 16.

Before the lockdown, criminal cases in the country reached 11,004, but went down to 4,479 as of Wednesday.

“So ito po ay magandang development sa larangan ng peace and order,” he said.

The COVID-19 crisis has taken a major toll on all facets of Filipino life. As of Thursday, 921 people have died with more than 15,000 infections. The Philippine economy also contracted in the first quarter of the year, even as the Department of Labor and Employment estimated that some 10 million Filipinos could lose jobs due to the pandemic.

Año also touted that there were also less fire incidents during the lockdown period.

“Pati rin po sa Bureau of Fire Protection, ang ulat nila kung ikukumpara po ‘yong period mula January hanggang May sa period po ngayong 2020, from 11,236 fire incidents bumababa po ng 10,698, 5 percent po at sa mga namatay sa sunog from 283 to 162, 43 percent down din po ang ating mga casualties mula sa fire,” he said.

Moreover, quarantine violators reached a total of 184,467. Of the number, 54 percent have been arrested, while 9 percent are given warnings.

The remaining 37 percent were fined, Año said.

Meanwhile, he assured that despite the loosened quarantine protocols, the department would continue to promote peace and order. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/JST, GMA News