MANILA (UPDATED)- Officers from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have met with members of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) over alleged rampant kidnapping incidents of Filipino-Chinese residents.

In a statement Friday, NCRPO chief Police Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said the claims “are not in conformity with the records of NCRPO.”

"Wala pong kidnapping na nangyayari. Kahit po sa ibang city wala po tayong ganyan mga kaso, hindi po ito totoo. Kung mayroon man po tayong natanggap na reklamo, lahat po ito ay na-resolve na ng kapulisan,” he said.

• PCCI claims 56 kidnapping cases happened in last 10 days

Based on NCRPO’s data from January to August 2022, there were only four incidents of kidnapping for ransom in Metro Manila and six incidents of serious illegal detention.

It added all the suspects have been arrested while all the victims were rescued.

• Public urged: Be wary of sharing online posts on supposed abduction cases

Estomo, nevertheless, assured they will impose more stringent measures against kidnapping incidents.

The Chinese embassy in Manila on Friday also asked the public “not to spread unconfirmed information,”, particularly about kidnappings targeting members of the Filipino-Chinese community.

“Recently kidnapping of Chinese citizens has been a big concern,” Wang Yu Lei, minister Counselor of the Chinese embassy, said in a speech during the Filipino-Chinese Friendship bridge lighting ceremony on Friday.

“We would also like to ask the Filipino-Chinese community to help raise awareness on safety precautions among Fil-Chinese in the Philippines, as well as work together with the embassy not to spread unconfirmed information. We believe Chinese people in the Philippines will be safer this way,” she said .

Wang said the embassy is in coordination with various Philippine government and law enforcement agencies “to crack down the crimes that endanger” Chinese individuals in the country.

The declaration came after the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCII) called on authorities to take action against the alleged widespread kidnappings that victimize members of the Filipino-Chinese community.

“These criminal elements not only just kidnap Chinese, but recently they even kidnap pure Filipinos and children as well. We received reports of 56 kidnappings in the last 10 days, excluding the unreported cases,” Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI) president Lugene Ang said at a joint press conference at the House of Representatives last Tuesday.

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