From: cadizht@csgrad.cs.vt.edu (Horacio Cadiz)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino
Subject: Re: Filipino-Chinese Kidnappings
Date: 8 Nov 92 20:51:02 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: VPI&SU Computer Science Department, Blacksburg, VA

lewc@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Lew Chua-Eoan) writes:

>> Horacio (bombim) writes:
>>   Were the kidnap victims from the Filipino-Chinese community kidnapped
>>because of their Chinese ancestry or because of the perception, right or wrong,
>>that they have the money to pay the ransom?  I believe it is the latter.

>I believe it is a combination of both criteria. Otherwise, why aren't
>wealthy Filipinos targeted as frequently as Filipinos of Chinese descent?

   Because they are perceived to be easier marks than the other Filipinos.
The perception that the CF have the money and that they won't talk to
authorities lead to this higher frequency.  As I've said before, it is because
the CF are perceived to be more profitable targets than other Filipinos.


>Some may believe otherwise, but I believe that there is 
>credence in the medias presentation of the Fil-Chinese kidnapping issue.
>(And I firmly believe that the frequency of kidnappings are higher
>within the Fil-Chinese community, as far as percent of the population,
>versus the population at large.)

   I won't argue about this since I don't have any statistics proving
otherwise.

>>My impression is that the kidnappers believe that the scions of 
>>Filipino-Chinese families are more profitable targets because their families 
>>will pay up and will not talk to the police.

>Filipino-Chinese families would talk to the authorities if they knew it would
>help their situation.  Who wouldn't? But since corrupt police and military
>officials are invovled it makes it difficult for Filipino-Chinese to
>confide in these guardians of law and order - "it is like going to
>the police precicnt and asking the officer, who happens to be the accused,
>to arrest himself."

    I agree. This is similar to the situation of the victims ofmilitary abuses
everywhere in RP.  Rather than talking to the military officials, they feel
more confident in reporting these incidents to the Church or church-affiliated
groups.
    However, this is beside the point. I'm not after the reason why they do or
they don't report such kidnappings to the authorities.  What is important is
that because they don't, they are perceived as easier targets.

>>They are not being kidnapped 
>>because they are Fil-Chinese but because the kidnappers think that they
>>can get a higher take than if they were to kidnap someone else.

>Yes, they are taken because they are part of the perceived
>ethnic minority with supposed tendencies - i.e. they are preyed upon
>because of their features (race) and supposed characteristic tendencies.

   I disagree that these are racist attacks.  These are criminal attacks which
you seem to equate with racism.  I don't believe that these kidnappings are the
the result of hate for or bigotry towards the CF community.
   I remember reading about the higher incidence of burglaries and break-ins
against Vietnamese immigrants in the U.S.  The authorities believed that the
Vietnamese were being targetted because they keep a lot of jewelry and
precious metals in their homes rather than in banks.  Combined with this is
their traditional fear of authorities because of their experiences in 
Vietnam.  Thus they are profitable targets for criminals.  However, they
weren't targetted because of the criminals hate for Vietnamese.  I don't
believe that these crimes against the Vietnamese were classified as 
'hate' or 'racist' crimes. 
   As is the case with the Vietnamese immigrants here in the U.S., the 
kidnappings in RP are not race-motivated but profit-motivated.  Nothing
more, nothing less.

***********************************************************************
* bombim cadiz             | Theorem:   The early bird gets the worm. *
* cadizht@csgrad.cs.vt.edu | Corollary: The early worm gets eaten.    *  
***********************************************************************
Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino