Amid threats of KFR, street crimes

DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. on Friday assured top representatives of the Filipino-Chinese community that all necessary police actions are being undertaken to keep the country’s streets safe 24/7 specifically from threats posed by kidnapping-for-ransom (KFR) gangs.

The two top officials made the assurance as they met officials of the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) represented by Teresita Ang-See and Architect Ka Kuen Chua, and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), led by Henry Lim at Camp Crame.

PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) Director Col. Rodolfo D. Castil Jr. also presented the latest anti-kidnapping statistics and the various measures they are undertaking to address KFR cases in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Official PNP records showed that there were 27 kidnapping cases recorded in the country since last January, a “far cry” from the 56 reported by a business group to have taken place in the last ten days alone.

Records also showed that many of the 27 cases reported since last January were either POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) or casino-related kidnappings.

PNP-AKG records showed that 11 of the 27 cases have already been solved, which means that charges were already filed against arrested suspects while four others are considered “cleared” or charges were already filed against still at-large suspects.

Of the 11 resolved cases, 7 are POGO-related kidnapping incidents.

The MRPO called on Azurin and Castil, whom they described as “veterans” in the anti-kidnapping campaign, to help address reported kidnapping cases.

However, the group admitted that the hands of police authorities are tried because of the failure of victims to cooperate with investigators.

“Both our Chief PNP Azurin and AKG Director Castil Jr. have been trying their best to assist, but if no one reports or cooperates with them, there’s not much they can do,” Ka Kuen Chua said.

“We have incidents where victims were rescued and cooperated [in filing] complaints. But, after a week, they retracted and withdrew their complaint because they were paid off and/or threatened,” he narrated.

The MRPO chairman said that unless victims start cooperating, they won’t be able to score breakthroughs in the anti-kidnapping campaign. “We may return to the experience in the early 1990s when kidnappings happen almost one every other day because no one reports, cooperates, files cases, and victims’ families pay a ransom – big and fast. Some victims’ families pay big ransom in a matter of hours or days, thus encouraging more and more kidnappings and [showing] that crimes pay and pay lucratively,” he said.

During the meeting, Ang-See underscored the need for the public, including big business groups, to help the PNP in its anti-criminality campaign by coming up with complete information regarding any crime incident, specifically kidnappings, so that they could be properly investigated.

She added that there is also a possibility that the purported 56 KFR cases reported by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PCCII) could be “cases of human trafficking”, which should also be investigated by other concerned government agencies, not only the PNP.

The MRPO earlier cautioned the Filipino-Chinese community to be wary of unverified social media posts on alleged kidnappings, which have caused some public scare. It also called on the police force to go after persons who are circulating “fake news”.

“Kidnappings and rumors of kidnappings of Chinese nationals have been causing much anxiety in the Chinese-Filipino community. Circulating in social media is a mixture of truths and half-truths. Exaggerations, false and recycled news,” said the MRPO in a statement signed by its chairman, Architect Chua.

“This includes two YouTube videos, one in English and Filipino and another Chinese, that went viral. It had gone around for almost a week already. Some details are true, but most of the content is a summary of the many other posts, many of which are baseless and exaggerated. This caused even more fears,” the statement added.

The MRPO statement said that “one post has a headline: ‘56 incidents in just 5 days’, but the entire post doesn’t give details of any incident. Sadly, the YouTube post repeated this baseless news. If you know the YouTube vloggers, do alert them that they may be liable for disruption of public order under the cybercrime law, which provides that the following is punishable: Any persons who by any means of publication shall publish as news any false news which may endanger the public order or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State.”

What is true, according to the MRPO, is that POGO-related incidents of kidnapping of Chinese nationals are “increasing”.

“Some of the victims are gamblers who frequent the casinos and become targets of opportunity. Others are workers and gamblers who accumulate debts and are held hostage by the casino or by their own employers. Some of them are turned over to syndicated ‘collectors’ many of whom are members of criminal syndicates. Those turned over to them are held hostage, tortured, threatened while money is extorted from their families in China,” it said.

The MRPO confirmed a PNP-AKG report that payments, which used to be made in legitimate bank accounts in China, are now made through black market remittance centers because of strict government policies on remittances and money laundering.

The MRPO added, “it is also true that after a crackdown of illegal gambling in Cambodia, some members of the Chinese syndicates found a safe haven here.”

“It is also not something new. We have reported such incidents to police authorities way back in 2019. Remember the businessman from Thailand who was taken from a KTV bar in 2019? That news went viral, and the kidnappers have a wide network not just in China and Southeast Asia but even in Europe,” it explained.

The group also confirmed that many of the recent victims are female victims of human trafficking who, after being promised high-paying jobs in the country, ended up in casinos or in prostitution.

“The rest of the stories are false and exaggerated; some are even videos of old incidents,” it added.

The MRPO also asked members of the “Tsinoy” community to refrain from forwarding unverified news so as not to create unnecessary fears and panic.

“Though we all must stay vigilant and be extra cautious now that we go out more often, we also shouldn’t fall prey to false and sensational news,” said Chua as he warned that those who post them may be liable under the anti-cybercrime law.

The MRPO, at the same time, urged the public to maintain its vigilance and to be extra careful. “Times are hard. People have not even recovered from the economic havoc caused by the pandemic when we are hit by inflation and poor management, causing skyrocketing prices of basic goods. Times are hard. Do help those in need who you can help. We don’t want desperate people to resort to desperate measures. Extending help to those in need means we help our community and society keep peace and order,” said Ang-See