The death of Mr. Guo, like a heavy stone, smashed into the already turbulent surface of the Filipino-Chinese community.
The specific incident does not need to be elaborated by me, as almost all Filipino-Chinese public accounts have reported it.
I know there are many rumors, and several group members have sent me internal messages. But, out of respect for the deceased, I will not say more, as this is not the focus of this article.
I don't know how many times this has happened, but this time it was particularly sensational.
The victim was a well-known Chinese businessman who paid 200 million in ransom but was still killed.
Moreover, just these few days, another boss was kidnapped, reportedly paying 100 million in ransom, and he was released.
The old logic of keeping a low profile and not flaunting wealth seems to be failing.
Kidnapping has never been a new thing in the Philippines.
It used to be Filipinos kidnapping foreigners, now it's Chinese kidnapping Chinese, Koreans kidnapping Koreans. They all target their own compatriots.
In recent years, the word "kidnapping" has increasingly become a kind of common sense within the Chinese community.
People install GPS in their cars, change license plates, and travel in different time slots. The group chats circulate tips on how to handle hostages; how to negotiate more effectively with kidnappers, not how to call the police.
Yes, most people do not report to the police, preferring to handle it themselves.
Why?
Because for the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), reality has not been as heroic as their initial goals when they were established.
The AKG, established in 2013, was once a key project personally approved by the police headquarters.
However, in reality, this team has less than two hundred people, including technicians, transportation, translators, and intelligence, all of which they have to manage on their own. In the early years, a few off-road vehicles and Chinese translation equipment were donated by business associations, but it is said that they were repurposed after only a few uses.
More bluntly spoken in the streets:
In some kidnapping cases, the police know who did it, but they can't arrest them.
Some police plan to arrest people, but the other party offers too much.
The crisis of trust is not unfounded.
In many past cases, there have been revelations of financial transactions between the police and kidnappers, even scenarios where police and kidnappers staged joint operations. Therefore, whenever a kidnapping occurs, most people choose not to publicize it and to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Even if the cost is millions of pesos and a nightmare, as long as they can survive, it is already a great fortune amidst misfortune.
This time is different, Mr. Guo's case has made too much noise.
The media began to report intensively, and the Chinese Embassy also spoke out. Police Chief Mabil held a press conference, announcing the establishment of a special investigation team.
Three days later, he announced: AKG head Lagay was dismissed.
The official response seems very proactive.
But in group chats, everyone is joking and cursing.
On April 11, 2025, the Minister of Justice Remula suddenly announced: The Ministry of Justice will also establish its own anti-kidnapping special group.
Remula said that the establishment of this group is to rebuild the people's trust in law enforcement units, and he specifically mentioned: Many people no longer report to the police because they do not know who to turn to.
This statement seems to admit that the police system is unreliable.
This new anti-kidnapping team, under the Ministry of Justice, not belonging to the police system, will coordinate the flow of information with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies in the future.
NBI Director Santiago also appeared, saying that in the past, our information was managed separately, but with this new platform, we can cooperate better.
This is not the first time the Philippines has taken multiple approaches.
During the anti-drug war period, there were also special task groups from the Presidential Office, the Police Department, and the military, each doing their own thing, ultimately making it difficult to assess the results and blurring responsibilities.
Some say this is like the Ministry of Justice slapping the police in the face, and others worry, in the future when reporting a crime, which anti-kidnapping team should they contact?
On the surface, this is a patch repair of the system.
Essentially, it reflects the systemic disintegration and internal competition.
One case has given rise to two anti-kidnapping mechanisms. One job adjustment is hard to calm the panic of a Chinese community.
What everyone really wants to know is: Are these teams actually effective?
Because for many Chinese living in Manila now, the more realistic question is:
Next time something happens, can they survive the beating? Can they avoid being moved or disappeared before the anti-kidnapping team arrives?
The anti-kidnapping mechanism is still expanding, but fear has already moved ahead of it.
The pace of the Chinese community has not stopped, but more people are starting to speak cautiously, reduce nighttime outings, replace car window films, and, stay away from people, especially from Chinese people.
Because, only Chinese people will kidnap Chinese people.
I see that in many reports, it is highlighted: the kidnappers spoke Mandarin.
Top comments in the comment section: Stay away from Mandarin-speaking Chinese people.
A group member said, Mandarin speakers are going to be marginalized.
In reality, no matter where people are from, regardless of region or nationality, there are good and bad people, please do not generalize.
