1.4M Filipino families fell victim to common crimes in Q3 – SWS

NATION

MANILA – Around 1.4 million families fell victim to common crimes in the third quarter of 2018, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on November 29.

The SWS survey held from September 15 to 23 showed that 6.1% of Filipino families (around 1.4 million families) reported victimization by any of the common crimes within the past 6 months.

This is higher than in June 2018, when 5.3% or around 1.2 million families got victimized. But this rate is the same as the 6.1% recorded in September 2017.

Common crimes refer to pickpocket or robbery of personal property, break-ins, carnapping, and physical violence.

The recent survey also found that 5.6% of Filipino families (around 1.3 million families) fell victim to property crimes – higher than the 5.1% in June 2018, but still below the 6.1% reported in March 2018.

Meanwhile, 0.7% or around 159,000 families reported that their members got hurt by physical violence, up from the record-low 0.2% in June.

Fear of criminality, presence of drug addicts 'hardly changed'

In addition, the survey said that families' fear of burglary and unsafe streets, and the presence of drug addicts hardly changed from the last quarter.

About 52% of Filipino adults said they agreed with the statement, "In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid that robbers might break into their houses."

This is a 3-point decrease from the 55% recorded in June 2018, and the lowest since December 2011, when it was at 49%.

Meanwhile, 46% agreed that people are usually afraid to walk in the street at night in their neighborhood because it is unsafe. This is the same rate as in March and June 2018.

The survey also showed that 41% agreed there are already very many people addicted to banned drugs in their neighborhood – the same rate logged nationwide in June 2018.

'Significant strides'

In a statement on Saturday, December 1, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo took note of the survey results and said that the Duterte administration has made "significant strides" through its war against criminality, including the campaign against illegal drugs.

"Indeed, Filipinos now feel safer knowing fully well the government's stance against criminals and drug pushers," Panelo said.

He slammed those who criticize the government, saying, "It also becomes clear that those who remain to dissent the President's policies are either people who are connected with illegal activities or politicians belonging to the opposition, as well as their blind followers, who cannot accept the feats of the government."

Panelo then said the government's achievement "will not render us complacent." Duterte's campaign against criminality and illegal narcotics, he said, "shall be pursued until the last day of his term to ensure that our streets are completely safe from criminals, drug personalities and other rogue elements."

"Victimization by common crimes reported in SWS surveys is much higher than the number of crimes actually reported to the police," SWS noted.

SWS said it employs its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, dataprocessing, and analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations.