The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has been closely watching the country’s air and sea ports against foreign kidnap groups, Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete assured on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesman made the assurance following the Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) report on the rise of kidnapping cases in the country involving Chinese nationals.
“Our Bureau of Immigration has a standing arrangement with the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group for the identification of those involved in kidnapping operations, and their exclusion or deportation as may be warranted,” said Perete who has supervision over the BI.
“It likewise coordinates with the Office of the Police Attache in, among others, the monitoring of the movements of known personalities from China involved in this criminal operations,” he added.
The PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) revealed that in the past three years, there were at least 75 kidnapping cases involving Chinese victims.
Of the number, the AKG said that 42 cases happened this year and involved 49 Chinese victims.
The AKG also noted that last year there were 16 cases involving 17 victims.
While in 2017, there were 17 cases with 19 victims.
The AKG attributed the rise in the kidnapping of Chinese nationals to the increase of Chinese workers entering the country to work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). (Jeffrey Damicog)
