Kidnapping-Related Incidents – August 2024
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PSA Consultancy recorded five (5) kidnapping-related incidents involving five (5) victims in August 2024. One incident was perpetrated by a Kidnap-for-Ransom (KFR) group and involved or demanded ransom payment worth over PHP 8 million (USD 143,817.64). The rest of the incidents were personal dispute-related abductions.
Of the five kidnap victims reported during the period, three were foreign victims – two Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese national. PSA recorded zero kidnapping incidents targeting a Western national this month. Based on the recorded incidents, three incidents happened in Metro Manila (one incident each in the cities of Makati, Parañaque, and Manila) while the other incidents occurred in the province of Albay.
None of the kidnapping incidents resulted in the demise of the victims. Two incidents that occurred this month were perpetrated by ethnic Chinese suspects. Only one of these incidents involved a ransom payment but both appear to be financially motivated.
Analysts note that similar incidents, where ethnic Chinese suspects target highly liquid foreign victims of Chinese ethnicity (regardless of nationality), have been recorded in the last year. Some of these incidents appear to be targeted in nature and may stem from personal or business-related disputes. PSA also notes the possibility of some incidents being perpetrated by transnational Chinese syndicates with ties to the offshore gaming industry. Nonetheless, the risk associated with these kinds of abductions remains low for individuals outside of the gambling and offshore gaming industries.
PSA recorded one successful rescue operation this month in response to one KFR incident. The victim was held by their captors for less than a day prior to their rescue.
