Senators urge investigation into recent spate of kidnapping incidents
MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers have sounded the alarm on the recent spate of kidnappings and torture making rounds online as they called on the Senate and the Philippine National Police to investigate the latest wave of crime.
Sen. JV Ejercito filed Senate Resolution No. 194 directing the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to probe cases of kidnapping, abduction, and disappearances, particularly involving women, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator workers, and Filipino-Chinese victims.
Sen. Grace Poe also issued the same calls in filing Senate Resolution No. 195, saying the latest wave is "creating a state of fear, anxiety, and vulnerability among Filipinos."
"Aside from media reports, the number of abduction cases still cannot be ascertained as there are cases unreported to the proper authorities. The differences among abduction figures presented to the public causes undue and unnecessary anxiety and fear to our countrymen," she wrote.
Sen. Imee Marcos also filed Senate Resolution No. 185 as she raised concern over the "alarming number of incidents of abuse, kidnapping, disappearances, and killing of women in the country."
Lawmaker to Palace, PNP: Take stronger stance, clamp down on crime
Ejercito’s resolution cited the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese national in broad daylight along the Skyway elevated highway and the documented torture of a male victim whose ear was cut off.
At a press briefing Monday, he claimed that several intelligence reports indicate the presence of Cambodian-Chinese criminal syndicates in the country. In the same briefing, he urged the PNP to expedite its ongoing investigations on the said incidents.
“Any directive from the President is policy and I think it will help so much if the President himself is on top of the situation, that he can address it right away and that the peace and order situation under his leadership will be top priority,” Ejercito said.
“Every time there’s a new administration, probably they are testing the leadership. They’re testing President BBM’s administration, the new PNP. That is a possibility."
Ejercito said the national government risks losing the confidence of investors and the rest of the business sector if the ongoing spate of kidnappings and torture is not addressed.
“The authorities have to act swiftly to at least end this and show that they are in control,” he said. “Peace and order is very essential in the rebuilding of our economy, in projecting that we have an investment-friendly climate."
The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs is expected to conduct a hearing on the said criminal activities within the week.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, chair of the Senate public order panel and himself a former PNP chief, has since indicated his willingness to lead a probe in the higher chamber in aid of legislation.
PNP urges calm, hits 'fake news' over kidnapping for ransom
Earlier, the PNP said that the latest wave of petty street crime in and around the University Belt area going viral on social media involved several isolated cases that were not connected to one another.
In late August, the PNP also urged the public to be wary of what it said was online disinformation resurfacing photographs and incidents from solved cases to imply they had just happened.
READ: PNP: Recent spate of kidnappings, street crime not connected
At a separate press briefing Monday morning, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, PNP chief cited a meeting with the leadership of the Federation Of Filipino Chinese Chambers Of Commerce & Industry, Inc. who said that the latest claims of the kidnapping for ransom of Filipino-Chinese people were not grounded in truth.
He also said that per data from the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, there are "zero" cases of kidnapping for ransom being investigated.
"When some cases go viral on social media, a number of those are already solved or are under investigation," he said in Filipino.
"These are not kidnapping for ransom cases. Some of these cases are abduction, human trafficking, and robbery holdup. We just need to have good categorization of the crimes being posted on social media."
Azurin also slammed quarters whom he claimed were "sowing fear among the people" by making it appear as though the peace and order situation on the ground is "uncontainable."
"I really don't know what the intention of these people are. If they think they are hurting the PNP by doing that, they are not only hurting the PNP but hurting the economy of this country," he said in Filipino.
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