Manila, March 30 -- Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil asked the media and social media users to be more circumspect in reporting and posting about crime incidents to avoid negative public perception.

Marbil noted that despite a 26.76-percent drop in nationwide crime rate since Jan. 1, concerns over safety remain prevalent, a trend he attributed in part to the widespread dissemination of crime-related content on social media and other platforms.

He acknowledged though that selective reporting is not unique to the Philippines but is a global issue.

"Crime data show that incidents have declined, yet the visibility of certain cases, especially on social media, can give the impression that crime is worseni...