NPD tightens up vs kidnappings

The Northern Police District (NPD) alerted its operatives in view of the increase in activities of kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) groups in northern Metro Manila where at least five persons were abducted this month in Valenzuela City.

Senior Superintendent Ernesto Catungal, chief of the NPD’s directorial staff, told The STAR that security measures have been doubled within the district, comprised of the cities of Caloocan, Malabon and Valenzuela, and the town of Navotas.

"We have intensified our intelligence efforts by creating anti-kidnapping ‘dedicated teams,’ whose main function is to go after kidnap-for-ransom groups operating within our area," Catungal said.

Catungal said that the dedicated teams were also focused on major crimes such as bank robberies, carnapping, and robbery-holdup, aside from kidnapping.

Last Sept.1, at least six unidentified heavily armed men abducted two Filipino-Chinese women and their two male companions in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City.

The victims were reportedly released last Friday morning after their kin paid their kidnappers P10-million in ransom.

A day before the victims’ release, another abduction occurred in Barangay Parada, one of nine places in Valenzuela City listed by the NPD as crime-prone.

On Aug. 2, in Malabon City, a sophomore veterinary student was also kidnapped. The victim was able to escape from his abductors and sought police assistance resulting in the arrest of the suspects including a former police major. –Pete Laude