In a significant development for public safety, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported a sharp decline in kidnapping incidents in January 2025, following the complete phase-out of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) by the end of 2024. According to PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) data, only four traditional kidnappings were recorded last month, with no instances of POGO-related kidnap for ransom (KFR). This marks a notable decrease from January 2024, which saw six kidnapping cases, including two POGO-related KFR incidents.
PNP information chief Col. Randulf Tuaño highlighted this progress during a press conference at Camp Crame, attributing the decline to the government’s decisive action against POGOs. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had announced a total ban on POGOs in his State of the Nation Address in July 2024, aiming to curb the ‘grave abuse and disrespect to our systems of laws.’ He also instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to terminate POGO operations by year’s end.
The rise in KFR cases and other POGO-related crimes, such as human trafficking, had been a concern since former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte permitted POGOs during his tenure. Tuaño also addressed and dismissed rumors about a white van allegedly involved in child kidnappings for organ trafficking, stating that no formal complaints had been received by the PNP regarding such incidents. He emphasized the police’s ongoing vigilance and commitment to protecting the public from all forms of criminality.