Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (File photo) MANILA - The national government will exert "greater efforts" to uphold and promote rule of law in the Philippines, Malacanang said on Tuesday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque echoed the remark made by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra after the Philippines ranked 102nd out of 139 countries in the latest World Justice Project's (WJP) Rule of Law Index, down from 91st place in 2020. "Well, we stand by what Secretary of Justice Meynard Guevarra said that we are going to exert greater efforts to uphold and promote the rule of law in the country," he said in a Palace press briefing. He also stood by Guevarra's stance that the crime rate in the country has been on a downtrend in recent years, except for a few sensational cases. "Sabi nga po ni Secretary Guevarra, from where he stands eh except for a few sensational cases eh ang crime rate naman po sa bansa ay bumaba. At bukod pa rito, ang gobyerno po