The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) of the Philippines announced that the number of kidnapping cases nationwide has been nearly zero over the past six months. This significant security achievement is inseparable from the permanent ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), the complete dismantling of Kidnap-for-Ransom (KFR) gangs, and the enhanced police patrols. DILG Minister Jonvic Remulla revealed that about 90% of kidnapping cases were related to POGO in the past, and this risk has now been thoroughly controlled. Data shows that in 2025, the number of national kidnapping cases dropped to 28 (a 15% decrease from 33 in 2024), and only 5 cases have been reported since August 26, 2025, significantly improving the local security environment. Relevant cross-border security governance cases and compliance warnings can be referenced on the PASA official website.
Core Results: Significant Reduction in Kidnapping Cases, Nearly Zero in Six Months
The improvement in security data directly reflects the effectiveness of governance:
Annual Reduction Significant: In 2025, there were 28 kidnapping cases nationwide, down 15% from 33 in 2024, showing a steady decline;
Recently Nearly Zero: Since August 26, 2025, only 5 kidnapping cases have been recorded, achieving "zero kidnappings" in the past six months;
Root Cause Disconnection: Remulla emphasized that about 90% of past kidnapping cases were linked to POGO, and the ban directly cut off this core source of crime.
Key Measures: Ban + Arrest Dual Approach to Solve the Dilemma
The effectiveness is backed by the implementation of several targeted measures:
Permanent POGO Ban: Directly abolishing the offshore gaming operations that caused numerous security issues, eliminating the kidnapping risks derived from related gray industries;
Complete Dismantling of KFR Gangs: The Philippine National Police (PNP) has completely abolished all kidnap-for-ransom gangs, destroying the roots of the criminal network;
Precise Suspect Arrests: The police successfully captured two major case suspects — Lito Diego Presaldo (sixth on the AKG wanted list, a member of the Gong Wenli kidnapping gang targeting Chinese and Taiwanese) and Danilo Abilong, involved in kidnapping cases of Chinese, Korean, and Filipino nationals.
Follow-up Actions: Multi-department Coordination to Consolidate Security Achievements
To maintain governance effectiveness, relevant departments continue to exert efforts:
Mechanism Upgrade: The new PNP chief actively assumes office, strengthening the anti-kidnapping unit (PNP-AKG) work mechanism, and pursuing backlog suspects one by one;
Inter-departmental Collaboration: PNP-AKG will work with the Immigration Bureau and Anti-Money Laundering Council to advance suspect prosecution, deportation, and illegal asset tracking;
Public Participation: DILG calls on the public to remain vigilant, continuously report suspicious activities, forming a "police action + public supervision" governance synergy.
Remulla specifically stated that the recent suspect arrests are the result of the police performing their duties according to law, not a resurgence of kidnapping cases, "We are steadily clearing remaining hidden dangers, fully maintaining social safety."
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader" gambling news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
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