Also in this country most criminals are never caught so its easy money especially if few or scared witness's..

 

I was told when coming to retire in the Philippines by a multibillionaire ex client who became a friend; to make your money in a "rich" country and spend it in a "poor" country. I think that was very sage advice. He is in software and know he makes money in developing countries but feel he was talking of his investments.

 

Maybe, but my thinking is that a lot of these kidnappings are smaller amounts and they just get paid, no press, no police. There is a reason why kidnappings are so prevalent and I doubt it is because no one is paying.

 

I once like

bed

I once lived about 30-40 minutes from there in Pagadian. I was warned not to go to Tukuran.
I filipino friend and wife invited me to a beach in Tukuran with their extended family for the birthday party. I was the only foreigner and most everyone at the concrete tables either smiled, waved, talked or want me to drink with them.
While I was hanging on the beach, about 6 teenagers walked past me a couple times. On the last pass one brave soul asked if he could have a pic with me. Once I said, yes, all of them swarmed me like a rockstar. It was surreal to me as a new person to the country. But in those parts that is how it is for foreigners due to being so few of us. Since Duterte was elected the people aren't nearly as friendly in Pagadian. It was a good day at the beach, but I was cautious.
When I read that a foreigner lived in Tukuran the first think in my mind was, WTF?

 

If the truth is known, I bet many cops are behind some of them.

 

It was about 20 years ago but in Baguio they had an anti-kidnapping task force and it turned out the head of the task force was also the head of the kidnapping ring. It was like a bad Hollywood script, the guy talking into two different walkie-talkies and trying not to get the confused.