Manila, Feb. 27 -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday reported a 3.94-percent drop in nationwide crime in January 2026 compared to December 2025.

In a statement, the PNP said 2,581 incidents were recorded in January, down by 106 cases from 2,687 in December.

Focus crime categories also declined: murder cases fell from 319 to 284; physical injuries from 427 to 299; rape from 516 to 400; and motorcycle carnapping from 162 to 149.

Most regions posted reductions, with Police Regional Office 1 (Ilocos Region) logging a 31.03-percent decrease in focus crimes, the PNP said.

Fourteen regions reduced overall crime volume in January, resulting in a national Crime Clearance Efficiency of 93.22 percent and a Solution Efficiency of 70....