With the resumption of in-face classes in Laguna province and the rest of the country two weeks ago, so did reports re-surfaced of alleged kidnapping attempts against students.
The cliché story of white vans allegedly snatching students have once again surfaced on social media, with testimonials posted by would-be victims who allegedly escaped the hands of kidnappers in the province.
But while many parents have (legitimately) feared for their children’s safety, some are now beginning to doubt the veracity of a few of these stories – most notably the authorities themselves.
The “white van” story has been floated so many times in our country’s history that it has become a banal cliché that only enterprising movie directors can now exploit.
It should also be noted that while the Philippine National Police (PNP) have remained on heightened alert due to the possible rise of criminal activity as schools went back to normal last month, several police stations in the country have also warned against spreading “fake news” about alleged kidnappings.
According to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, most of the supposed kidnapping cases that have spread like wildfire on social media have turned out to be old cases that had happened years ago and were already solved by authorities.
It does pay to be extra vigilant of our surroundings in these circumstances where an uncertain economic situation has reportedly driven some to take desperate chances in order to survive.
There’s nothing wrong with taking extra precautions to guard the people we love most.
But spreading fake news about supposed kidnappings will not only cause undue alarm and panic among the populace but also complicate the efforts of our police to solve legitimate cases of kidnapping and other criminal activity in our province.