House to probe conflicting crime rate statistics

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on public order and safety is set to conduct an inquiry into conflicting crime rate statistics released separately by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and private crime watchdogs particularly on kidnap-for-ransom cases.

The investigation was prompted by House Resolution 2863 filed by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and co-authored by his brother, Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., urging the chamber to look into the kidnapping situation in the country to determine the true state and number of cases.

Rodriguez said downplaying kidnapping cases would be detrimental to the overall peace and order situation.

“The only way to properly solve the kidnap for ransom situation in the country is to face reality and act accordingly based on what the true situation is,” Rodriguez said.

The lawmaker said the PNP, particularly its anti-kidnapping group, recently reported only seven cases of kidnap-for-ransom for the first half of 2012 as against 11 cases reported by the Movement for the Resolution of Peace and Order (MRPO) of anti-crime crusader Teresita Ang See.

MRPO’s figure does not include the case of a Burmese child who was abducted in Laguna and rescued in Rizal province by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Ang See claims that the recent case of kidnapping was resolved after paying a P2.5-million ransom and that she has already talked to PNP General Nicanor Bartolome about the incident only to be allegedly rebuffed by Bartolome for making a mountain out of a molehill and that she was also told to be exaggerating these reports of kidnappings,” he said.

He said other reports showed 41 cases from January to June this year. The PNP said only four of the 41 were confirmed KFR cases with the rest turning out to be simple cases of abduction, missing persons, or arrests in legitimate law enforcement operations.

Rodriguez said Ang See also revealed that seven Chinese nationals were kidnapped in separate incidents last July 2012 while on a tour outside Metro Manila. The most recent was the kidnapping of four Chinese nationals allegedly by uniformed policemen last July 27.

“There is really a need to conduct an inquiry on the issue and thus serve notice to all concerned, particularly the PNP, the MRPO and other agencies and entities which may shed light and resolve the issue,” Rodriguez said.