Japanese rescued from kidnappers

A Japanese businessman was rescued by agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force from two suspected kidnappers in Manila last Friday morning.

Reports identified the rescued kidnap victim as Takayuke Umeda, trader of a business firm based in Saipan.

Umeda was rescued from a room in the Holiday Inn Hotel where he was kept by suspects Nilo Cabaltera, of 71 NDC Compound, Sta. Mesa, Manila; and Noli Kalingling, of Block 24, lot 44, Molino Homes, Dasmariñas, Cavite.

According to Superintendent Bernabe Balba of the PAOCTF Complaints and Action Section, the operation, which also resulted in the arrest of the two suspects, started with a complaint filed by Isabelito Sarmiento, the victim's driver and Bienvenido Tomboc, the victim's lawyer.

Sarmiento and Tomboc said they and the victim were aboard a car when a group of armed men aboard a Nissan Sentra and an L300 Mitsubishi van stopped them in front of the Philippine Village Hotel in Pasay City at about 10:00 p.m. last Tuesday.

The suspects identified themselves as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and "arrested" Umeda on charges of alleged illegal recruitment.

The following day, Tomboc received a call from the victim's home office in Saipan and was told that the suspects were demanding $50,000 which was later reduced to $10,000 in exchange for the victim's safe release.

Tomboc also learned from Takaharu Komoda, Umeda's employer in Saipan that the victim was allegedly brought to the Ermita Police Station.

However, when Tomboc checked with the police station, Umeda could not be found. Neither was he found at the NBI headquarters.