Kidnap cases alarm DILG secretary

Interior and Local Government Secretary Alfredo Lim ordered yesterday the Philippine National Police to renew the government’s drive against kidnapping-for-ransom following a warning from an anti-crime watchdog about its resurgence.

The Citizens Action Against Crime (CACC) warned the Chinese community of the resurgence of kidnapping-for-ransom because criminals know that police attention has been diverted to the issue of President Estrada’s alleged links to jueteng.

"The PNP has been successful in its campaign against kidnapping-for-ransom syndicates. The campaign must be renewed to thwart resurgence," Lim said.

The interior secretary directed the police nationwide to monitor the operations of suspected kidnap-for-ransom groups in their respective areas.

In July, PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson announced the success of the police campaign against kidnap-for-ransom syndicates, noting that not a single incident of kidnap-for-ransom was recorded during the first seven months of the year.

However, CAAC spokesperson Teresita Ang-See said kidnapping-for-ransom indicates are likely to resurrect because criminal elements would surely take advantage of the crisis situation when police are preoccupied with many other things.

"We have to be wary, the Pinoy community must be vigilant at this time," said Ang-See.

In October alone, Ang-See said three cases of kidnapping were recorded in Metro Manila. The first was the abduction of three children on Oct. 3 while the second was the kidnapping of Steward Chu, a mirror company owner in Malabon on Oct. 14, who was released three days later.

The third and the most brutal was the abduction of five-year-old Eunice Kaye Chuang and her nanny Bibeth Montecino, whose bodies were recovered in the ceiling of the kidnappers’ hideout in Malolos, Bulacan last week.

"The police must not be distracted… their main task is to maintain peace and order and ensure the safety of the people," Lim added. – Cecille Suerte Felipe