Manila, Jan. 3 -- Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. reported on Saturday that the country's overall crime rate declined by 12.4 percent in 2025 compared to 2024.

Based on official records from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, focus crimes decreased from 40,771 incidents in 2024 to 35,717 last year, or 5,054 fewer cases year on year.

The focus crimes are murder, homicide, rape, physical injury, theft, robbery, and motor vehicle and motorcycle theft.

Data further showed that most major crime categories posted significant reductions, led by rape, which registered the highest decrease at 22.68 percent, dropping from 9,910 cases in 2024 to 7,662 in 2025.

This was...