Crimes in PH halved during Luzon lockdown: police

MANILA – Crimes in the Philippines went down by 52 percent, police said Tuesday, 13 days after Luzon was placed on lockdown due to COVID-19, with other areas following suit.

The number of crimes declined by 60 percent in Luzon, while it went down by 59 percent in Metro Manila, Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said without providing further details.

"Itong enhanced community quarantine, bawal lumabas ang mga taong di allowed lumabas. During curfew period, the law enforcement agency pwedeng arestuhin na kaagad 'yan," said Eleazar, head of Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield.

As of Tuesday, some 69,000 people have been accosted for violating curfew ordinances. Of that number, 70 percent were given warnings, 25 percent were arrested, and 5 percent were fined, Eleazar said.

The task force earlier warned it would continue to arrest curfew violators after the Department of Justice said inquest proceedings may now be done online.