Foreigners Kidnapped in the Philippines

Incident List

Name	Nationality	Year	Incident Breakdown
Renate Wallert	German	2000	Kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf on April 23, 2000, from Sipadan Island, Malaysia, and held for 85 days in the Philippine jungle. Released on July 17, 2000, due to health issues.
Werner Wallert	German	2000	Kidnapped with his family by Abu Sayyaf. Released on August 27, 2000, after 127 days, following a reported ransom payment.
Marc Wallert	German	2000	Kidnapped with his parents by Abu Sayyaf. Released on September 9, 2000, after 140 days, following a reported ransom payment.
Jürgen Kantner	German	2016	Kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf while sailing near the Philippines with his wife, Sabine Merz, who was killed. Beheaded in 2017 after ransom demands were unmet.
Elliot Onil Eastman	American	2024	Kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines. Held for ransom; limited details available.
John Ridsdel	Canadian	2015	Abducted with Robert Hall and Kjartan Sekkinstad from a Samal Island resort. Beheaded by Abu Sayyaf in 2016.
Robert Hall	Canadian	2015	Taken with John Ridsdel and Kjartan Sekkinstad. Beheaded by Abu Sayyaf in 2016 after ransom talks failed.
Kjartan Sekkinstad	Norwegian	2015	Kidnapped with Ridsdel and Hall from a resort. Released in 2016 after a reported ransom payment.
Guillermo Sobero	American	2001	Abducted from Dos Palmas resort in Palawan with Martin and Gracia Burnham. Beheaded by Abu Sayyaf in 2001.
Martin Burnham	American	2001	Kidnapped with his wife Gracia and Guillermo Sobero. Killed during a 2002 rescue attempt.
Gracia Burnham	American	2001	Taken with his husband Martin and Sobero. Rescued in 2002 after a military operation.
Allan Arthur Hyrons	British	2019	Kidnapped with his Filipina wife from a Zamboanga Del Sur resort. Rescued in 2019 after a military operation.
Stefan Viktor Okonek	German	2014	Abducted with Henrike Dielen while sailing. Released after a reported ransom payment.
Henrike Dielen	German	2014	Kidnapped with Stefan Okonek. Released after ransom was paid.
Ewold Horn	Dutch	2012	Taken by Abu Sayyaf while birdwatching in Tawi-Tawi. Killed during a 2019 rescue attempt.
Jee Ick-Joo	Korean	2016	Kidnapped and killed by rogue police in a fake anti-drug operation, sparking diplomatic tensions.

Additional Notes

This list is based on news reports and public records. Unreported cases may exist.

Last updated: May 12, 2025

About

This website documents kidnapping incidents involving foreigners in the Philippines, highlighting a troubling pattern of systemic corruption. Some abductions are orchestrated by rogue police officers, who are often shielded by prosecutors. These prosecutors, in turn, are protected by judges, with this chain of cover-ups extending to the highest levels of government, including the presidency.

The current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whose regime was marked by authoritarianism and widespread human rights abuses. This historical context underscores the challenges in addressing such crimes today. Our goal is to provide a reliable, up-to-date resource for researchers, policymakers, and travelers to understand the risks and systemic issues surrounding these incidents.

Contact

For inquiries, feedback, or additional information, please reach out to us via email:

kidph@proton.me

Foreigners Kidnapped in the Philippines

Incident List

Additional Notes

About This Website

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