MANILA - Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año on Monday said the crime volume in the country decreased by 47 percent during the first six months that the country was placed under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Año, citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), said there were 16,879 reported incidents of crime from March 17 to present.

This is almost half of the crime incidents logged six months before the lockdown, or from September 2019 to the earlier half of March 2020, where 31,1661 incidents were reported.

"From 172 cases a day to 92 cases per day," Año said during the weekly meeting of Cabinet officials with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Año also said incidents of robbery went down by 61 percent, while vehicle and motorcycle theft went down by 66 percent and 61 percent, respectively.

Murder cases also went down by 22 percent, while rape cases went down by 24 percent.

Año said the decrease in the incidents of crime can be attributed to police visibility and better coordination with the local government units.

The health department has confirmed 290,190 coronavirus infections, 54,958 of which were active, as of Monday.

• COVID-19 cases in PH reach 290,190; deaths at 4,999