CCPO sets up special unit to probe viral kidnapping posts

THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has created a special unit that will focus on kidnapping and attempted kidnapping incidents that are posted on social media as part of a nationwide directive of Camp Crame.

Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. recently ordered an investigation on the rise of abduction cases that had gone viral.

Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO spokesperson, told reporters on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, that she has been placed in charge of the special unit that is called the City Committee on Missing and Found Persons.

“Posts on kidnappings and attempted kidnappings have gone viral on social media, so we have created a committee which will validate such information and determine how true these reports are,” she said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

She said members of the special unit will look into the background of these alleged missing persons by interviewing their relatives. They will also go to the location where the alleged incident happened to look for witnesses, among other things, she said.

Posts of a kidnapping attempt of an elementary student in Barangay Sambag 2 and a kidnapping of a man on Natalio Bacalso Avenue earlier in the week went viral on social media, alarming the public, especially parents whose children were returning to school for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out two years ago.

Macatangay said there was no evidence that both incidents happened.

She urged the public not to immediately believe what they read or see on social media. When in doubt, call the police for verification, she added.

According to the CCPO, the city’s crime volume remains low and it has not received any complaints of kidnapping or attempted kidnapping.

Mandaue City

An official of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) assured the public Thursday, Aug. 25, that the city is safe, stressing that there are no kidnappings in the city.

Lt. Col. Franco Rudolf Oriol, MCPO deputy director for operation and spokesperson, made the announcement following reports of children being kidnapped along the streets in different areas in the country allegedly by people on board a “white van.”

Oriol said they have not received any kidnapping report.

He said the MCPO has been implementing security measures to maintain peace and order in Mandaue City. These measures include checkpoints and mobile and foot patrols, and these have been done 24 hours a day, especially in isolated areas.

Oriol reminded the public to verify first the information posted online.

Peace and order in PH ‘maneageable’

Despite the reported incidents of killings and abductions over the past weeks, Azurin said Wednesday, Aug. 24, that the country’s peace and order situation is still “maneageable.”

“Walang breakdown ng law and order. Ang assurance natin dito is ang ating peace and order sa buong bansa ay still manageable,” he said in an interview with reporters.

(There is no breakdown of law and order. Our peace and order situation in the country is still manageable.)

Azurin maintained that crime incidents in the country remain low.

He said crime incidents nowadays are only highlighted due to postings on social media and other platforms.