Group claims receiving reports of 56 kidnappings in 10 days; PNP says only 4 this year

The Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PCCCII) has called on authorities to immediately take action against the spate of kidnappings targeting the Filipino-Chinese community.

PCCCII secretary general Bengsum Ko made the call in a recent meeting with House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, saying their group has received reports of 56 kidnapping incidents in the last 10 days.

"Recent disturbing events create a state of fear and uneasiness among the Filipino-Chinese community. This is because of the recent rampant kidnapping cases both in Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon,” Ko said during the event, reading a letter from PCCCII president Lugene Ang addressed to Congress and the Philippine National Police.

“These kidnappers are worse than animals. They use torture and intimidation, rape women and send the videos to the victim’s relatives demanding huge sums of money. In some cases, victims were even sold to other kidnapping groups. These are unprecedented and beyond human comprehension,” Koh added.

The PCCCII said such kidnappings threaten not only the safety of citizens but also normal business activities.

"We appeal to Congress and law enforcement agencies to take a more active role and act swiftly to suppress these criminals and eradicate these kidnapping syndicates. No bail should be granted to these kidnappers," the PCCCII said.

"And the truth of the matter is that these kidnappers are foreigners, Chinese for that matter, so we should never allow these foreign criminal syndicates to do whatever they want in our country. These are happening in Pasay, Parañaque and in some instances, Makati," Koh added.

Libanan backed PCCCII's call.

“We want these kidnapping gangs preying on the Filipino-Chinese community stamped out right away. We do not want their nefarious activities to mutate into a larger threat,” he said in a statement.

“This is clearly a law enforcement problem. The only reason these kidnappers are getting bolder is because they have not been apprehended, and they have not been put behind bars,” Libanan, a former Immigration commissioner, added.

PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Jose Chiquito Malayo responded by saying only four kidnapping incidents have been reported to the police this year.

Nevertheless, Malayo vowed prompt action on the PCCCII's concerns. — BM, GMA News