Pubdate: Wed, 23 Feb 2005
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2005
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Ana Marie Pamintuan
Cited: Philippine National Police http://www.pnp.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

AN OLD SCOURGE

Sketches

Nope, kidnapping has not been licked; Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes will 
be the first to admit that. But he won't say that the problem has returned, 
especially on the scale that the nation has seen in recent years.

"We cannot say that there will be no more kidnapping," he told me last 
night. "But our people are on the job. They're doing a good job. The 
support that we're getting from the civilian sector is unprecedented."

The various law enforcement units involved in the campaign against 
kidnapping are getting advice from anti-crime groups and business leaders, 
who have so far expressed satisfaction over the results of the campaign 
last year.

If Reyes wants to sustain that cooperation, and if he wants more progress 
in the campaign, he will have to include a thorough housecleaning in the 
Philippine National Police (PNP).

* * *

Already kidnapping statistics since the start of the year have been 
inflated by the activities of rotten cops involved in hulidap or 
shakedowns. As in genuine kidnap-for-ransom cases carried out by organized 
crime rings, the favorite targets of police shakedowns are members of the 
Chinese-Filipino or Tsinoy community.

Anti-kidnapping units distinguish kidnappings for ransom carried out by 
organized crime groups from hulidap and other extortion cases that often 
involve threatening to frame up a victim for a non-bailable drug 
trafficking offense.

Tsinoys have noted that there have been five kidnapping cases in the past 
six weeks alone. Those in charge of anti-kidnapping units told me last 
night that in fact there have been eight cases reported to them since the 
start of the year, but only three were genuine kidnappings for ransom, or 
"KFR" as the cops call those cases. The rest were cases of extortion or 
missing persons where no ransom was demanded.

All three KFR cases were solved and the victims rescued unharmed, Reyes said.

Reyes was assigned to head the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (Naktaf) 
in October 2003. At the time people thought President Arroyo had simply 
given him enough rope to hang himself after he had been eased out as 
secretary of national defense.

To most everyone's surprise, Reyes did such a good job that in April last 
year the number of KFR cases actually dropped to zero. The only reason I 
believed it was because it was confirmed by anti-crime groups.

In 2004 there was a 70 percent reduction in the number of KFR cases, Reyes 
said. Since Oct. 26, 2003 when Naktaf was organized until last Monday, 206 
kidnapping suspects have been "accounted for" - 20 killed, 175 arrested and 
11 who surrendered.

"That's an average of about 13 suspects a month," Reyes said.

Among those indicted are cops, of whom the highest-ranking is a police 
inspector - the equivalent of a lieutenant.

During the same period, 28 cases were solved and 70 victims rescued, 24 of 
them Tsinoys.

In the first two months of 2003 there were 14 KFR cases. During the same 
period last year there were nine. This year there have been three so far, 
with all of them solved. Reyes won't say that kidnappings have resurged.

* * *

The impression of resurgence has been reinforced, however, by the alleged 
involvement of former congressman Dennis Roldan in the latest genuine KFR 
case, which put kidnapping back in the headlines.

Most people are bored by statistics, preferring to listen to assessments of 
the peace and order situation by anti-crime groups and the Tsinoy 
community. If the Tsinoys are expressing concern, something must be amiss 
with the anti-kidnapping campaign.

I asked Reyes if he suspected certain ranking PNP officers of involvement 
in KFR. He said his men were constantly on the lookout for crooked cops of 
whatever rank, since these are the ones who discourage public cooperation 
in the anti-crime campaign.

I asked him if he suspected certain PNP officers of sabotaging his 
campaign. He responded with a chuckle. Reyes is still awaiting confirmation 
by the Commission on Appointments, which looks ready to sit on his 
nomination as interior secretary until the next congressional elections.

In the early days of this administration, anti-crime advocates identified a 
ranking police officer as a kidnapper during a dialogue at Malacanang. They 
reportedly got an angry rebuff from President Arroyo. Reyes admitted that 
the name has also been mentioned to him. The officer is still around, 
presenting himself as a counterterrorism expert and trying to bag a plum 
position in the PNP shuffle that is expected when Director General Edgar 
Aglipay retires next month.

With cops like that one identified by the anti-crime advocates, how can 
kidnapping be licked?

* * *

Some of the most notorious kidnapping groups were creations of the police. 
Gang leaders were initially used as assets to infiltrate crime 
organizations, and then used by their unscrupulous police handlers for 
personal "fund-raising" through criminal activities.

Naturally, those crimes were nearly impossible to solve. Or else victims 
would be rescued but the suspects would either escape or be killed and the 
ransom would not be recovered. Case still solved, and the handlers would 
even get a presidential citation.

So far Reyes does not seem to be up against any such gang with coddlers in 
high places. And the shakedown ring reportedly involving Manila policemen, 
allegedly led by former National Bureau of Investigation agent Martin 
Soriano, has been busted.

The concerns raised over the return of kidnappings, however, is a reminder 
to Reyes that there is no rest for those involved in fighting this scourge.

Kidnappings are like terrorist attacks; the rewards are so attractive 
perpetrators patiently sit out crackdowns, and then strike anew when the 
government lets its guard down. And there is still so much rot in the PNP.

After giving me all those statistics, Reyes assured me last night that they 
are constantly on their toes.

"We are alert," he said.
- ---