THE National Police said on Wednesday that the kidnapping of three foreigners in Samal Island in Davao del Norte must not affect the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November and its related meetings, that are currently ongoing in the country.
However, Director General Ricardo Marquez, National Police chief, admitted that the abduction of a Norwegian, two Canadians and a Filipino woman on Monday from the Ocean View Resort on Samal Island may have an impact on the country’s tourism industry.
Marquez said that the kidnapping of the three foreigners and the Filipino woman was an isolated case, especially that Apec-related meetings were being held in the country, without any single incident involving security reported.
“It’s an isolated case. There is no such trend in several parts of the country. There was no [other] kidnapping [incident],” Marquez said, adding that the government has already hosted at least 30 meetings related to the Apec summit and the police have not encountered any security problem.
“We have been into 30 meetings already…the one going on in Iloilo is the 31st meeting. There were no incidents in all Apec events sites after 30 meetings,” he said.
Marquez added that representatives of Apec economies have not expressed concern in connection with the latest kidnapping.
“None so far,” he said when asked if there has been concern from Apec-member-countries in response to the abduction.
However, Marquez said the abduction of Kjartan Sekkinstad, 56, the Norwegian owner of Ocean View, and Canadians John Ridsdel, 68, and Robert Hall, 50, could affect the country’s image as a tourist destination.
His concern was shared by the Armed Forces spokesman, Col. Restituto Padilla, who called the latest case of kidnapping as a “blow” to the tourism industry.
Marquez said that although the police have been implementing security for the Apec events for the last eight months since its related meetings were held in various areas around the country, they were improving their arrangements even more.
“We have taken the security of the delegates very seriously that is why we have reinforced security in all resorts, especially Boracay,” he added.
“We will make sure that all the venues are secure,” he added.