MANILA, Philippines―The number of crimes reported in the Philippines in the first 11 months of 2010 fell almost 40 percent compared with the same period last year, the Philippine National Police said Friday.
The drop from 459,130 reported crimes last year to 276,872 crimes this year was due to efforts to improve the poorly-equipped force, PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said.
"The year 2010 has been a year of trials, triumph and transition in the (national police) but amidst all of these challenges we managed to prove our mettle," a statement quoted Bacalzo as saying.
He cited better logistical capabilities, more training, quality improvement efforts and better benefits.
The statement did not give a breakdown of the types of crimes reported or say how many were minor or major crimes.
The government of President Benigno Aquino III has been under pressure to improve the police force after a hostage debacle in August left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.
A disgraced ex-policeman hijacked a busload of Hong Kong tourists in Manila, demanding to be reinstated. After muddled attempts to negotiate his surrender, the rogue policeman began shooting, prompting the police to storm the bus.
In a bungled display of force broadcast live on television, police commandos took more than an hour to enter the bus and kill the hostage-taker.
The incident chilled relations between the Philippines, Hong Kong and China and prompted the government to investigate the incident.
However, the Philippine government ordered only minor charges against four police officers and two other officials, a finding that disappointed Hong Kong.
