Lacson: Removal of AKG chief Ragay, formation of task force not enough

Former Senator Panfilo Lacson said Friday that the formation of a task force and the removal of Police Brigadier General Elmer Ragay as Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) chief amid the killing of Chinese businessman Anson Que and his driver are not enough to address kidnap for ransom cases.

On Thursday, Ragay was relieved from his post as AKG chief following the incident and was replaced by Police Colonel David Poklay. 

A task force to look into the twin killings was also formed, to be headed by PNP chief of directorial staff Police Lieutenant General Edgardo Okubo and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group under Police Major General Nicolas Torre III.

“These are not enough. What is needed is a positive resolution of kidnap-for-ransom cases. That is the important thing," Lacson, a former PNP chief, said in a radio interview during his Cebu campaign stop.

“The only way that the Chinese Filipino community and the public can be mollified amid the recent KFR cases is if the PNP actually solves the case and brings the perpetrators to justice,” he told DYHP radio.

In his statement, Lacson said Okubo and Torre both have the competence to get the job done. 

Okubo worked under Lacson in the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force. 

“I hope they can gather enough leads that could result in a positive conclusion, so these kidnap-for-ransom cases will not happen again," Lacson said. 

Lacson said that if the kidnapping cases, including that of Que, are not solved, perpetrators will be more emboldened. 

Lacson said he has received information that three kidnap-for-ransom cases have occurred in the past five to six weeks, and that two of the three cases had some "similarities"  such as brutality and huge dollar-denominated ransom demand.

“There is a need for the police to regain the trust of the community, and for the public to still trust our law enforcers and the criminal justice system,” Lacson said.

Likewise, Lacson said victims can coordinate with non-government organizations like the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order founded by civic leader Teresita Ang-See, whose members are former kidnap victims.

Lacson and fellow administration candidates Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, and Camille Villar on Friday joined the second leg of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia’s “suroy-suroy,” a two-day heritage and political caravan.

The four senatorial candidates endorsed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited over a dozen cities and towns with Garcia's One Cebu Party. The province is a vote-rich area with over 3.4 million registered voters. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ/NB, GMA Integrated News

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