The murder of Anson Que, owner of Elison Steel, is not an isolated tragedy—it follows a disturbing pattern of brazen kidnappings plaguing Metro Manila’s affluent communities.

Just weeks before Que’s abduction, armed men ambushed a 14-year-old Chinese student outside the British School Manila in Taguig City, executing his driver in cold blood before spiriting the boy away.

While the teenager was later released (presumably after a ransom payment), these back-to-back cases reveal a chilling escalation: criminals now target high-profile victims in broad daylight, undeterred by law enforcement presence or consequences. 

Despite years of warnings, task forces, and supposed crackdowns, this criminal activity persists, exposing the gaps in both law enforcement and public vigilance. 

Teresita Ang-See, a longtime advocate for the Chinese-Filipino community, rightly appealed for restraint in sharing graphic images of the victims—a basic decency often lost in the rush for social media engagement.

But her plea also carries an unspoken frustration: How many more must die before real action is taken? Kidnapping-for-ransom gangs operate with near impunity, banking on weak investigations, delayed police response, and the grim calculus that families will pay rather than risk a loved one’s life. 

While law enforcement has recorded some successes in combating kidnappings, the persistence of these crimes points to systemic failures—whether corruption within the ranks, critical intelligence gaps, or an alarming lack of urgency in responding to clear warning signs.

Although we recognize that law enforcement cannot solve this crisis alone — businesses must adopt tighter security, communities must report suspicious activity, and the public must resist sensationalizing tragedy — but none of this replaces the state’s duty to dismantle these criminal syndicates decisively.

Que’s death should be a turning point, not just another statistic. Until the system delivers real consequences for these crimes, the cycle will continue—and more families will grieve. Justice for Anson Que demands nothing less.