On the night of July 23, two consecutive raids on upscale apartments in Makati City, Philippines, sparked widespread attention. Within a few hours, Cityland Garden and One Central, located in the core area of the city, were surrounded by a large police force, and rumors involving kidnappings and foreign gangs quickly spread on social media, raising questions about the true safety of these high-end residences.
At Cityland Garden, police rushed to a unit on the 27th floor late at night, triggered by a "Korean reporting the incident," with the report suspected to be related to a kidnapping case. Law enforcement officers, with a search warrant, blocked some passages, but there is still no official statement, nor confirmation of any detentions.
Less than two hours later, "raid" news also came from One Central Apartments. Witnesses said that after the police entered the building, they took away four or five men who appeared to be of Asian descent, suspected to be foreigners. The operation was swift, suggesting it had been planned for some time.
It is noteworthy that such incidents are not new. In recent years, high-end residences including One Shang, Gramercy, and Icon Residences have frequently been targeted by law enforcement, often linked to transnational crimes such as telecommunications fraud, human trafficking, and illegal detention. When facing reports from foreign groups, the police tend to "err on the side of belief," even if it turns out to be a false alarm, they respond quickly.
Frequent late-night raids are impacting residents' sense of security. Some residents worry about being mistakenly arrested in an unclear law enforcement environment, especially when intelligence has not been fully verified.
No matter how secure the high-rise buildings and their access controls are, they cannot withstand the sudden police sirens and door-busting actions. The "security myth" of Makati's upscale apartments is peeling away layer by layer in reality. In this city, getting a peaceful night's sleep seems to be becoming increasingly difficult.
