PHILIPPINE STAR/ BOY SANTOS

POLICE CHIEF Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Thursday gave assurance that the police force will continue to protect Chinese workers in the country amid the rise of kidnapping incidents, mainly perpetrated by their fellow Chinese nationals.

“We assure the Chinese Embassy officials that the PNP (Philippine National Police) is continuously monitoring and stepping up its operation to protect their citizens in the country,” Mr. Eleazar said in a statement.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila confirmed on Tuesday that it has sought the help of the PNP to prevent kidnapping cases of Chinese nationals.

Mr. Eleazar said they will strengthen coordination with their Chinese counterparts, noting that “regardless of the nationality of both the victims and the perpetrators, an attack committed in the Philippines is an attack on our sovereignty.”

Data from the PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) show 53 Chinese kidnapping cases were recorded in 2017, rose to 58 in 2018, and almost doubled to 82 in 2019. There have been 22 cases of Chinese kidnappings in the country of Sept. 30. Most of the cases are kidnap-for-ransom, while others are related to casino and Philippine offshore gaming operators. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

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