Kidnapping-Related Incidents – December 2022
In December 2022, PSA Intelligence recorded five (5) kidnapping incidents.
Most of the kidnapping incidents recorded in December 2022 were personal dispute-related. Out of the total number of kidnapping incidents this month, four incidents were personal dispute-related while one incident was POGO-related. Based on the recorded incidents, only one abduction in December demanded ransom money worth around PHP 250,000 (USD 4,535).
There have been seven kidnap victims reported in December, two of them were foreign victims – one Chinese and one Vietnamese national. PSA has not recorded any kidnapping incidents targeting Western nationals this month. Based on the recorded incidents, three abductions occurred within Metro Manila, while the other incidents took place in the provinces of Cavite and Abra.
One abduction incident resulted in the demise of one victim. A 46-year-old Vietnamese businessman was initially reported missing and presumed abducted in the province. Analysts note that the suspects seemed to have other motivation than abducting the victim. The incident appeared to have been done to transfer the victim to another location for eventual execution. Meanwhile, one incident was POGO-related where the suspects abducted one woman and sold her to a POGO company. Analysts note that POGO/gambling-related abductions are a recurring and systemic issue. There were more POGO/gambling-related incidents in the previous years, but a few incidents are still being recorded each month since February 2021.
PSA recorded two successful kidnap rescue operations this month. Both operations were in response to personal dispute-related abductions targeting one Chinese and three Filipino nationals. The victims were rescued on the same day and one month after they were abducted.
PSA Intelligence Security Analyst Team Inside
The PSA Intelligence team of security and risk analysts monitor thousands of intelligence sources across the Philippines and broader APAC region daily. PSA Intelligence supplies well-known international corporate security operations centers and enterprise risk management teams the reports and data required for their operations.
Contact us to for access to our regular risk management reports and data-feeds. Be sure to talk to us about our analyst vetted, reliable data feeds for your AI driven risk management systems too. We have 20+ years of back-data and keep the data acquisition pipelines running so you don't have to.
PSA Intelligence: Regional Reporting Capabilities
Our fast-paced intelligence pipeline is driven by a dedicated team of Manila-based security analysts that monitor the Philippine landscape every day. We bring together on-the-ground local insight with large scale data monitoring and cut through the noise to deliver the concise, actionable intelligence that our clients rely on to navigate their risks.
Regular Briefs & Industry Monitors
We provide a weekly digest of key political, economic, and security developments and analysis of their short and long-term impact on the local and regional business environment. Our Industry Monitors deliver regular summaries of key developments in manufacturing, energy, mining, and tourism.
Our Cyber Risks Briefs detail emerging cyberthreats, digital security vulnerabilities, and regulatory shifts, while our Economic Briefs provide macroeconomic snapshots covering inflation, trade markers, and fiscal policy. We also publish Health Risks Briefs tracking local disease statistics and healthcare capacities.
Targeted Crime & Kidnapping Reports
Our teams produce continuous updates and analysis on developing crime and safety trends targeting corporates and staff, ranging from opportunistic petty crime to syndicated criminal activity. This includes deep dives on known modus operandi, suspect profiles, and sociopolitical environments.
Additionally, we monitor Kidnapping Related Incidents in the Philippines, tracking publicly-known abduction cases, motives, victim profiles, and the broader regional developments that influence these threat vectors.
Insurgency, Terrorism, and Civil Unrest
We conduct ongoing analysis of activities of Communist insurgents in the Philippines, including their estimated operational capabilities, regional hotspots, and the progress of government peace processes.
Our coverage extends to Islamist Insurgency and Terrorism in Mindanao, assessing activities not limited to terrorism-related motivations but also criminal, personal, and cultural factors. We provide continuous assessments of political stability, strikes, protests, and broader civil unrest dynamics affecting operational continuity.
Ask an Analyst
Do you have a question regarding this report that you would like to ask our team of security and risk analysts? Ask here.
Query Sent
Thank you. Our intelligence team will respond to your query shortly.