PNP expects shift to kidnapping by crime groups

The Philippine National Po- lice (PNP) has been expecting that the Duterte government’s war on drugs will lead the drug lords to shift to kidnapping and other crimes for easy money.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said that with the scarcity of illegal drugs in the market due to the drug war, it is likely that drug lords and syndicates will shift to lucrative crimes like kidnap for ransom, carjacking and bank robberies.

President Duterte revealed the other day that at least six kidnappings occurred in the Chinese community in Binondo, Manila in the last three weeks.

Dela Rosa noted that a number of convicted big-time drug suppliers at New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) were also convicted for kidnapping, carjacking and bank robbery.

“These high-profile convicts at the NBP only shifted to dealing illegal drugs from their previous criminal activities like kidnapping for ransom, carjacking and bank robberies, because of easy money,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa cited convicts Herbert Colanggo, Jaybee Sebastian and Raymund Dominguez, who became major players in the country’s illegal drug trade from being engaged in bank robbery, kidnapping and carjacking.

Colonggo was convicted for robbery, Sebastain for kidnapping and Dominguez for carjacking.

“With the decline in the supply of shabu, it’s highly probable that they will revert back to their old criminal ways again for easy money,” Dela Rosa said.

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said he is checking with the PNP AntiKidnapping Group if they have reports on the rise of kidnap for ransom activities.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde said his unit is investigating the reported abductions in Binondo.

He also said while the NCRPO has the official report on the resurgence of kidnapping for ransom, the President has other sources of information.