MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday announced a significant drop in the country's crime rate this year amid the government's intensified crackdown on drug suspects.

The PNP said the total crime volume decreased by 13% through the first and second quarters of 2016 -- from 52,950 crime incidents in January to 46,060 in June.

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PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa earlier said the decline in index crime incidents is a direct effect of their aggressive operations against illegal drugs.

PNP Director for Operations Chief Superintendent Camilo Pancratius Cascolan is optimistic that the crime volume will continue to dip in the coming months, citing their national anti-drug campaign under "Project Double Barrel," which was implemented on July 1.

The PNP said, since Project Double Barrel was implemented, a total of 3,213 drug personalities have been arrested by local and national police forces.

A total of 239 drug suspects, meanwhile, have been slain in police operations.

Under Project "Tokhang" (knock and plead), where police officers visit houses of people suspected of being involved in illegal drugs, a total of 120,038 individuals have voluntarily surrendered.

Of the number, 112,902 were drug users and 7,107 were pushers, the PNP said.

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