PNP looking into alleged kidnapping of rich BIR execs

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde. Photo from the PNP Facebook account

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into the alleged kidnapping of at least 15 wealthy Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officials since 2013, its chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said Tuesday.

Albayalde said the issue has already reached President Rodrigo Duterte, who had ordered the PNP to “seriously” look into the allegation.

“That is being looked into. Sometimes ang problema kasi is ‘yung alleged victims, ayaw nila magcomplain (the problem is the alleged victims sometimes do not want to file a complaint),” he said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Albayalde said some victims do not report the alleged kidnapping to authorities since they do not know the identities of the perpetrators.

He said some are afraid of retaliation from the kidnappers, while the report of some victims turn out to be false after an investigation from the police.

Albayalde said the PNP had created teams to investigate the alleged abductions. Most of the teams, he said, are situated in Metro Manila where the incidents reportedly happened. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)