When the Philippine National Police announced the cracking of the kidnapping and murder case of Chinese entrepreneur Anson Kui, they might not have expected that what truly triggered a public opinion tsunami was not the solving of the case itself, but an unanswered question—where did the ransom of 200 million pesos (about 24 million RMB) go?
This huge sum, equivalent to the value of 50 ordinary Manila apartments, disappeared into a black hole after being urgently paid by Kui's family to save his life. The police neither disclosed the amount recovered nor explained the flow of funds, and this abnormal silence is tearing apart the public's last trust in law enforcement.
"If the main culprit has been arrested as the police said, where is the money?" a representative of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, who wished to remain anonymous, asked during an interview, "Either there are bigger fish still at large, or someone wants to hide something." This skepticism is not unfounded—the Chief of the Philippine National Police, Mabil, personally admitted that the "mastermind behind the scenes is still at large."
More disturbing are the rumors of "secondary extortion" circulating in the Chinese community. Several informed sources revealed that some kidnapping victims' families faced absurd situations: they had to pay ransom to the kidnappers and also grease the palms of certain "middlemen." "Now no one dares to call the police," a relative of a victim wrote on an encrypted communication app, "because you don't know if you are seeking help or walking into a trap."
This systemic trust crisis is fueling a sharp public opinion storm. On social media, a comment that received thousands of likes sarcastically said: "200 million pesos? Enough for some people to throw three lavish parties." And an anonymous post on a Chinese forum directly accused: "Some police have long forgotten the meaning of their uniform."
The case not only exposes security issues but also the deep decay of the Philippine judicial system. According to statistics from the NGO "Philippine Anti-Kidnapping Watch," in 2023, at least 37% of Chinese families targeted in kidnapping cases refused to report the crime. Behind this number lies a collective disappointment of an ethnic group in the law enforcement system.
Currently, Chief Mabil promises to "investigate thoroughly," but what the public is more eager to see is the clear whereabouts of that 200 million pesos. This money is like a magic mirror, either reflecting the remaining forces of the criminal group or revealing truths that some people are unwilling to face. Until the answers are revealed, the fear and anger in the Filipino-Chinese community are likely to continue to spread.
