Security tightened vs kidnaps

MANILA, Philippines — To deter criminal groups from staging kidnappings, police have ramped up security in Filipino-Chinese communities and other areas in Metro Manila with a large presence of foreigners.

National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin said police visibility patrols were increased in Binondo and Malate in Manila, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and in Makati City following the kidnapping and murder of Filipino-Chinese steel magnate Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo.

“Our patrolling there is 24 hours. We have deployed both overt and covert cops,” Aberin told reporters on the sidelines of his inspection of a bus terminal in Quezon City yesterday.

Aside from this, the Philippine National Police (PNP) intends to bring its services closer to the Filipino-Chinese community through the establishment of help desks.

“We are in close coordination with the Filipino-Chinese community and, as a matter of fact, the PNP chief has ordered the creation of a Chinese desk to cater to the complaints of the Chinese,” Aberin said.

Binondo will serve as the pilot area for the help desk.

Que and his driver were found dead in Rodriguez, Rizal on April 9, more than a week after they were kidnapped on March 29.

The businessman and his driver left his office in Valenzuela for a meeting somewhere in southern Metro Manila when they were kidnapped.

Aberin assured the Filipino-Chinese community as well other foreigners and the general public of their safety in Metro Manila.

“The streets are safe because our police personnel are deployed covertly and overtly,” he said.

Bato blasts PNP

Instead of implementing politically motivated orders, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa has reminded the PNP to focus on their duty to protect the people and address the recent spate of kidnappings.

The ex-PNP chief warned that if these crimes are left unaddressed, it will not only affect the Philippines’ image but the economy as well.

“The remaining personnel involved in POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operator) operations, whoever they may be, if there are any rogue elements among them, it’s still kidnapping for ransom,” Dela Rosa said.

“The PNP lacks focus on their job. They are too focused on orders with political implications. They should focus instead on preventing criminality. The people’s trust in them is at stake,” Dela Rosa stressed, clearly referencing the arrest of his boss, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

POGO hubs operated freely during the Duterte administration.

Dela Rosa was PNP chief when South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was kidnapped and killed by anti-illegal drugs officers inside Camp Crame in 2016. Three police officers and two others were convicted for the murder, which tarnished the Duterte administration’s anti-criminality campaign.

Dela Rosa also questioned the PNP’s figures which show an 18.4 percent decrease in crime rate according to comparative 70-day statistics from November last year to March.

“Regardless of what figures you are going to show to the public, what is the most important to know is the public perception, how does the public feel as far as safety and security is concerned,” Dela Rosa said.

According to Dela Rosa, PNP reported that total cases of focus crimes dropped to 7,301 incidents from Jan. 12 to March 22, 2025, compared to 8,950 incidents between Nov. 3, 2024 and Jan. 11, 2025.

The eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carjacking of vehicles and motorcycles.

Dela Rosa urged the administration to “go down to the streets” and ask people if they feel safe.

“If they feel safe right now with the current situation, then they will give you the direct answer,” he said.

The reelectionist senator fears he might be the next to be arrested by the International Criminal Court for his involvement in Duterte’s war on drugs.

Meanwhile, PNP data also showed that there was a decrease in index crimes in the first two years of the Marcos administration compared to the first two years of the Duterte administration, presumably because of the spate of vigilante killings tied to Duterte’s Oplan Tokhang.

Index crimes decreased to 71,544 from July 1, 2022 to April 21, 2024, compared to 196,518 recorded from July 1, 2016 to April 21, 2018. – EJ Macababbad, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marc Jayson Cayabyab