MANILA - The Philippines saw the most significant drop in the 2017 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index after it fell 18 positions from last year.

Manila now ranks 88th out of the 113 countries included in the index and saw the biggest drops in the following areas: constraints on government powers, fundamental rights, order and security, and criminal justice.

The index measures rule of law adherence in 113 countries and jurisdictions worldwide based on more than 110,000 household and 3,000 expert surveys.

The Commission on Human Rights expressed concerns over the report, saying it reflects a weak Philippine criminal justice system.

"We are slow in terms of apprehending suspects and criminals and filing charges against them," lawyer Jacqueline de Guia, spokesperson of the agency said.

Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption Vice Chairman Boy Evangelista, however, questioned the method by which such rankings were made.

"It is unfair na foreign group ang magsasabi na hindi naman dito nakatira. Hindi nila ma-translate into reality ang mga pangyayri dito dahil out of touch sila," he said.

"Ang importante tayong mga citizens ng Pilipinas safe ba tayo pag umaalis? Sa pamamahay natin, yun ang mas importante hundi yung based on foreign reports," he added.

Denmark topped the list followed by Norway, and Finland while Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Venezuela filled the bottom spots.

The World Justice Project is an independent, multidisciplinary organization based in Washington.