Kidnapping-Related Incidents – January 2024
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PSA Consultancy recorded five (5) kidnapping-related incidents involving twelve (12) victims in January 2024. All five incidents were personal dispute-related, and none involved or demanded ransom payment.
Of the twelve (12) kidnap victims reported during the period, one was a foreign victim of Chinese nationality. PSA recorded zero kidnapping incidents targeting Western nationals this month. Based on the recorded incidents, one abduction occurred within Metro Manila, and the other incidents took place in Davao del Norte, Surigao del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur.
Two kidnapping incidents resulted in the demise of eight victims in total. One incident was reportedly related to illegal recruitment. Authorities believe the victims were abducted and later executed by illegal recruiters who offered them employment in a different province. Meanwhile, the other incident involved a seven-year-old girl who was presumed abducted and was later found dead.
One kidnapping incident involved the attempted kidnapping of a Chinese businesswoman. While the nationalities of the suspects were not disclosed, analysts note that abductions targeting ethnic Chinese victims in recent years have been usually traced back to fellow ethnic Chinese suspects. These kinds of abductions have persisted month to month since 2021. Some of these abductions are usually gambling or debt-related, but highly financially liquid victims have also been targeted in the past.
PSA recorded three successful rescue operations this month. One of the victims was missing and presumed abducted two days prior to their rescue. Two rescue operations were in response to attempted kidnapping incidents.
