Kidnapping-Related Incidents – February 2023
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Majority of the kidnapping incidents recorded in February 2023 were personal dispute-related. Out of the total number of kidnapping incidents this month, four incidents were personal dispute-related while one incident was NPA-related. There was no ransom money demanded by the suspects in February.
There have been seven kidnap victims reported in February, none of them were foreign victims. PSA has not recorded any kidnapping incidents targeting Western nationals this month. Based on the recorded incidents, two abductions occurred within Metro Manila, while the other incidents took place in the provinces of Batangas, Bukidnon, and Lanao del Sur.
None of the kidnapping incidents resulted in the demise of victims. In one incident, one man was kidnapped by his relatives due to “rido” or clan conflict. Clan feud-related incidents involve recurring retaliatory acts of violence among the families involved. These are primarily spurred by political and land disputes. Analysts note that clan feud-related incidents tend to be more common in the Bangsamoro region, and conflict resolution usually involves traditional methods such as mediation by community and religious leaders as well as amicable settlement. In another incident, suspected government troops allegedly abducted one consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. Analysts note that there have been nine kidnapping incidents allegedly perpetrated by government security forces since 2021 based on PSA data.
Meanwhile, PSA recorded two successful kidnap rescue operations this month. The operations were in response to two personal dispute-related abductions. The victims were held by their captors for less than a day prior to their rescue.
