2 Tsinoy kidnap victims freed

MANILA, Philippines - Two Chinese-Filipinos kidnapped in Metro Manila and Bicol will be spending Christmas with their families, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

Sr. Supt. Roberto Fajardo, chief of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), said one of the victims was rescued while the other was released in separate incidents in Matnog, Sorsogon and in Quezon City.

Police operatives arrested six kidnappers in two separate operations.

“For the PNP, family is very important. Two kidnap victims were rescued and will be spending Christmas Day with their families,” said Fajardo in a press briefing at the police national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Joint elements of the AKG and local police units in Bicol rescued the kidnap victim at the Matnog Ferry Terminal in Sorsogon last Dec. 22.

The operation also resulted in the arrest of suspects Marlon Altizo, Jemmel Cinco, Rolly Falcon, Drackilou Falcon and Abigail Lapinid.

Operatives also seized an M-4 rifle, one M16 rifle, a KG-9 machine pistol, a caliber .45 Kimber, a caliber .45 STI Edge and a caliber 9mm CZ on board a Mitsubishi Adventure with license plates ABD 6572 that the suspects used.

Fajardo said the suspects accosted Tan at the Tarlac Sentra Piggery Farm in Tarlac City last Dec. 10.

Initially, the kidnappers demanded P20 million in ransom for the release of the victim.

Prior to the rescue operation, the white Mitsubishi Adventure that the suspects used in the kidnapping was identified through closed circuit television camera (CCTV) footage.

AKG tracker teams traced the vehicle and located it en route to Samar, Agusan del Norte then back to Samar, and Manila via Matnog, Sorsogon. Several CCTV units in the port and other areas monitored the suspects and a police operation was conducted in Matnog that resulted in the rescue of the victim and arrest of the suspects.

The other kidnap victim was released by her captors last Dec. 23 after her family deposited P150,000 through the Smart Money Padala money courier service. 

The victim was kidnapped in Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City last Dec. 17 and the suspects demanded P150,000.

The police monitored the transaction through the money courier service.

Fajardo said follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of Maribel Bucala, a sister of a detained kidnap-for-ransom gang member.

“The success of the operations can be attributed to the inter-agency coordination of law enforcement agencies and to the immediate cooperation of both families with AKG. A complaint of kidnapping for ransom is being readied against the arrested suspects,” said Fajardo.

For this year, Fajardo said a total of 37 kidnapping incidents were recorded, compared to 50 incidents recorded in 2014 and 52 incidents in 2013.