PNP targets 8 kidnap gangs

Despite the significant decline in the number of kidnapping-for-ransom incidents during the first six months of the year, the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) is still tracking down eight remaining kidnapping gangs operating in Metro Manila.

Superintendent Marcelo Morales, PACER operations officer, said these eight different groups have been using Metro Manila as their “favorite staging ground for kidnapping activities.”

“These eight groups are active and inactive, meaning these criminals are there ready to strike. But we in the PACER, in coordination with the community and other agencies are doing our best to prevent these criminals,” said Morales.

Earlier, the PACER said only six kidnapping incidents were recorded during the first six months of the year, which indicated a sharp decrease compared to the same period last year with 14 incidents.

Morales said the PACER, a unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) tasked to go after kidnapping syndicates, has shifted its strategy from reactive to pro-active in dealing with kidnapping problem in the country.

“We have shifted our strategy from reactive to pro-active, meaning we have established coordination with groups or individuals who would likely be a target of kidnapping to observe measures to avoid being victims,” Morales added.

Morales also noted that the PACER has intensified community participation and extended linkages with government and non-government organizations as part of the effort to stop kidnappings.

Morales said under the pro-active strategy PACER has served a number of warrants of arrest against individuals charged with kidnapping-for-ransom.

“Because of the arrest of persons wanted for kidnappings, we have effectively prevented other kidnappings,” Morales added. The PACER has neutralized a number of kidnapping-for-ransom groups, including the Waray-Waray group.

In the 1990s, wealthy families virtually lived in fear and could not go out of their residences without bodyguards with two to three kidnapping cases recorded weekly. In 2001, there were 99 cases of kidnapping-for-ransom incidents.

Of the six incidents in six months, PACER officials said 60 percent has been considered solved with the victims rescued and suspects arrested and charged. The other 40 percent is considered unsolved because the suspects remain at large although the victims have been rescued.

Various sectors, including the Filipino-Chinese community and the business groups are happy with the accomplishment of the PACER.

Based on records, the PACER has arrested 93 suspected leaders and members of notorious kidnapping for ransom syndicates, 10 others were killed when they shot it out with lawmen, and rescued five of the victims.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon said the notable accomplishments of the PACER were the rescue of Choc Hang Geom in Pampanga and the arrest of nine abductors; rescue of Tuxui Lin and Giao Yan Hong, also in Pampanga.

“The PACER hotline has assisted 1,557 calls, seven of which resulted in the rescue of two kidnap victims…Words of gratitude from grateful families clearly served as our major inspiration in carrying out tasks and these words means more than medals and honors bestowed  to PACER personnel —for it’s our way of life, our commitment,” said Calderon.