KIDNAPPING cases in the Philippines have risen by 70 percent in the first four months of this year compared with the same period last year, a senior police official said Tuesday.


By the end of April, there were a total of 17 cases of kidnapping reported, up from 10 cases recorded for the same period last year, Senior Superintendent Prudencio Banas, deputy chief operator of a special police task force said.

He noted that most victims were Indian nationals engaged in making loans to small businessmen.

"They are kidnapped and released on the same day, sometimes only for 60,000 pesos (1,163 dollars) as ransom," Banas said.

Such Indian businessmen usually negotiate the loans and collect the payments personally, making them vulnerable to abduction.

Banas attributed the rise in kidnapping to the police force's preoccupation with destabilization threats and anti-government protests aimed at President Gloria Arroyo.

The opposition has been campaigning to oust Arroyo since June over charges that she cheated to win the May, 2004 elections.

Anti-crime groups have claimed that many kidnappings go unreported because victims are reluctant to report the crimes as they suspect rogue policemen are involved.

President Gloria Arroyo has launched a campaign against kidnap for ransom gangs operating in Manila and in nearby areas, which often target businessmen, foreigners and members of the wealthy ethnic Chinese community
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kaya cguro tumaas ang percentage ,kasi maliit lang mga ransom at Indian national lang compare kung mga Fil -Chinese na malalaki ang ransom money