Kidnapping-Related Incidents – May 2022
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Most of the kidnapping incidents recorded in May 2022 were personal dispute-related. Out of the total number of kidnapping incidents this month, five incidents were personal dispute-related, three incidents were election-related, two incidents were perpetrated by Kidnap-for-Ransom (KFR) groups, and one POGO-related. Based on the recorded incidents, five abductions in May demanded ransom money worth PHP 23.9 million (USD 438,379).
There have been 12 kidnap victims reported in May, six of them were foreign victims – one Vietnamese and five Chinese nationals. PSA recorded no kidnapping incidents targeting Western nationals this month. Based on the recorded incidents, four abductions occurred within Metro Manila, while the other incidents took place in the provinces of Batangas, Pampanga, Cebu, and Zamboanga del Norte.
No abductions resulted in the demise of victims. Five incidents were personal dispute-related, where in one incident a Chinese businessman was abducted by Filipino and Chinese nationals for ransom. Three incidents were election-related where unidentified armed suspects kidnapped supporters of political candidates. Two incidents were perpetrated by KFR groups who abducted two Chinese businessmen. Meanwhile, one incident was POGO-related where one Vietnamese national was abducted for ransom. Analysts note that although there were more POGO/gambling-related kidnapping incidents in the previous years, a few incidents are still being recorded each month since February 2021.
PSA recorded seven successful kidnap rescue operations this month. The operations were in response to four personal dispute-related abductions, two KFR, and one POGO-related targeting one Filipino, one Vietnamese, and five Chinese nationals. The victims were held by their captors one to five days prior to their rescue.
