In the Philippines, kidnapping of Chinese people is not uncommon. The kidnappers are usually Chinese. Recently, two senior executives of a Chinese medical device company were kidnapped and killed in the Philippines, which attracted widespread attention. This incident revealed that the kidnapping of Chinese people in the Philippines has formed an industrial chain, and criminals systematically lure, kidnap and extort ransom. The kidnappers still killed the victims after receiving a ransom of 3 million yuan. The main reason is that they hope to protect their own safety through such extreme means to prevent the victims from reporting the case later.
Common practices of kidnapping in the Philippines
Abduction: The kidnappers will try to get the target into the car, then confiscate the phone and restrict personal freedom< br> Request for ransom: If the victim is male, the kidnapper usually causes substantial physical harm and sends a video to the victim's family and friends to demand ransom; If the victim is a woman, the kidnappers may engage in more heinous acts such as sexual assault.
Exploitation of personal information: Kidnappers may also use the victim’s personal information to obtain online loans in order to gain more financial benefits.
Reselling victims: The kidnappers may try to sell the victims to telecom fraud parks, but in recent years, China has begun to crack down on overseas telecom fraud or job saturation and other reasons, most parks no longer accept Chinese. Based on this, the kidnappers in this kidnapping case chose to kill the victims to eliminate future troubles after obtaining the ransom and squeezing out the last value of the victims.
The reasons for the frequent kidnappings in the Philippines
Government corruption and incompetence: The Philippine government has long been underinvesting in public security, with serious corruption and weak law enforcement. Some kidnappers are even local police officers, which makes criminals feel safe and secure. In particular, the recent conflict between China and the Philippines has led to the Philippine police's indulgence and inaction in Chinese cases, which is also one of the important reasons for the frequent kidnapping of Chinese.
Huge gap between the rich and the poor: The Philippines' economic development is unbalanced, the gap between the rich and the poor is large, and the lives of the lower-class people are difficult. Kidnapping has become one of the means for them to gain benefits.
Illegal gambling is rampant: The Philippine government allows the existence of online gambling, which has attracted a large number of Chinese workers and provided a breeding ground for kidnapping cases.
High-risk areas for kidnapping
In the Philippines, the following areas have a higher risk of kidnapping, and Chinese people need to pay special attention:
Manila Metropolitan Area: As the capital and economic center of the Philippines, Chinese people have frequent activities here and kidnappers are mostly concentrated in this area.
Cebu: As the second largest city in the Philippines, Cebu is also an important gathering place for Chinese businessmen, and kidnapping cases occur frequently.
Davao City: The city is located on Mindanao Island, with relatively poor security environment and frequent kidnapping cases< br> Sanbaoyan City: The region is also located in Mindanao, and the situation is unstable throughout the year, with frequent incidents of kidnapping and other violent crimes.
How can Chinese in the Philippines protect themselves?
Raise safety awareness
Travel with caution: Avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas. Choose safe means of transportation and routes.
Keep a low profile: Don't flaunt your wealth and avoid displaying expensive items in public.
Pay attention to your surroundings: Always keep an eye out for any suspicious persons or vehicles around you.
Strengthen information communication
Maintain contact with family and friends: Regularly report your safety to family and friends, inform them of travel arrangements and contact information< br> Establish an emergency contact network: establish contacts with Chinese communities, chambers of commerce, and other organizations in the Philippines to exchange information and take care of each other.
Choose a safe living and working environment
Living in a safe community: Choose a residential area with security measures to avoid living in areas with poor public safety. Areas such as tourist areas, demonstration zones, commercial and financial centers are good choices< br> Choose reputable partners: In business cooperation, choose reputable local agents and avoid working with unidentified individuals.
Learn self-defense skills
Participate in safety training: learn basic self-defense skills and methods for responding to emergencies, and improve self-protection abilities< br> Necessary safety tools shall be equipped, such as anti wolf spray, alarm, etc.
Call the police and seek help promptly
Call the police immediately if you encounter danger: If you find that you may be a target of kidnapping, call the police for help immediately.
Contact the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines: In case of emergency, please contact the embassy or consulate for help in a timely manner, and keep the embassy’s phone number with you.
Emergency helpline for Chinese in the Philippines
In the Philippines, in case of emergency, you can contact the following helpline numbers:
Chinese Embassy in the Philippines
Chinese Embassy in the Philippines
Consular protection and assistance hotline: 63-9178972695
24-hour duty hotline: 63-2-84474817
Address: 1235 Acacia Road, Dasmarinas Village, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Chinese Consulate General in Cebu
Consular protection and assistance hotline: 63-9175495614
24-hour duty hotline: 63-32-5051035
Address: Unit 202, Park Centrale Building, IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines
Chinese Consulate General in Davao
Consular protection and assistance hotline: 63-9055545911
24-hour duty hotline: 63-82-2213146
Address: 3rd Floor, Plaza de Luisa Complex, Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, Davao City, Philippines
Local emergency phone numbers in the Philippines
Philippine National Police Department (PNP)
National emergency hotline: 117 or 911
Manila emergency hotline: 63-2-87220531 to 87220539
Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Manila Office: 63-2-85238231 to 85238238
Medical emergency
National emergency hotline: 63-2-8159111
Other important contact information
Chinese Assistance Center
Manila Office: 63-9178250782
Cebu Office: 63-9175496133
Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 63-2-82512811
These contact information can help Chinese people in the Philippines cope with various emergency situations, ensuring that they can receive timely assistance and protection.
Conclusion
In the Philippines, the security risks faced by Chinese people cannot be ignored. By raising safety awareness, strengthening information communication, choosing a safe environment, learning self-defense skills, and calling the police for help in a timely manner, risks can be reduced to a certain extent and their own safety can be protected. Facing the complex security environment, I hope that every Chinese in the Philippines can be safe and smooth.
