EDITORIAL - Keep it up

A two-year-old boy is rescued and two of his kidnappers nabbed; four others are killed later in a reported encounter with law enforcers. The kidnappers of Betti Sy are arrested, including the suspected mastermind and triggerman. No kidnapping for ransom was reported during the Christmas break, when crimes for financial gain usually increase.

All this is good news in the campaign against kidnapping, which was intensified following the abduction and murder of Sy in November. Her death prompted the Chinese-Filipino community to march in protest, demanding decisive government action against kidnapping. The protest marches also led to the creation of mobile checkpoints under the supervision of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force.

NAKTAF, which is under former defense secretary Angelo Reyes, deserves the commendation it received last week from President Arroyo. Reyes had promised the President a "kidnap-free" Christmas and he delivered. But he and his task force can’t afford to rest. Kidnapping has become one of the most lucrative criminal enterprises in this country; in certain parts of Mindanao, it has become the most profitable industry.

The involvement of soldiers and cops in the crime has helped kidnappers stay one step ahead of law enforcers. The kidnapping menace has survived several administrations and crackdowns launched even by tough-talking Joseph Estrada when he was vice president and chief crimebuster. In Mindanao, Abu Sayyaf and Pentagon kidnappers are believed to enjoy the protection of certain elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and even local government and military officials.

Among the biggest hurdles in the anti-kidnapping campaign is getting public cooperation. Fears for the safety of loved ones and apprehension about the possible involvement of cops themselves discourage relatives of kidnap victims from reporting an abduction to authorities. Recent accomplishments of NAKTAF could encourage better cooperation from the public, but only if the task force keeps up the kind of work it has shown in recent weeks. As the nation has seen, the kidnapping scourge keeps coming back. Only a relentless campaign can eliminate this menace.