By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — General Benjamin Acorda Jr., the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), underscored the importance of addressing cybercrimes despite the overall improvement in the country’s crime statistics.
“While it may seem that our crime statistics have improved—showing a decrease of 10 percent—further examination reveals the necessity for us to concentrate on cybercrimes,” he stated.
Presenting the National Peace and Order Situation report to the President, General Acorda noted a 10.66 percent reduction in reported crimes between July 1, 2022, and January 31, 2024, compared to the period from December 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022.
In response to this, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. directed the enhancement and fortification of the Philippine National Police’s cybersecurity systems.
“We observed a slight increase, as reported during the last quarter. In line with this, as per the President’s directive, we are bolstering and equipping our police personnel on the ground. Previously, our cybercrime units were only operational up to the regional level,” General Acorda remarked.
He further elaborated, “This time, we are conducting training for our personnel, to reach down to the police station and municipal levels. We will have police officers trained to address cybercrimes or online offenses.”
General Acorda revealed that the majority of cybercrimes reported to the PNP were committed locally, with swindling or estafa being the most commonly reported cybercrime.
(el Amigo/MNM)
