Woman trader, driver kidnapped in Binondo?

A Filipino-Chinese businesswoman and her driver were allegedly abducted by heavily armed men in Binondo, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Investigators are now tracing whether the alleged abduction of trader Susan Ong and her driver, who was only identified as a certain Dante, was a case of kidnapping-for-ransom or car theft.

Police said Ong, 40 and her chauffeur were residents of Numacia street in Binondo, Manila.

Ong’s younger sister Mely, who was reportedly with them at the time of the abduction managed to escape. Altough unharmed, Mely was shivering in fear when she arrived at the Western Police District Station 11 (Binondo) to report the incident.

Initial investigation conducted by PO2 Carlito Ohoy showed that the incident took place at the corner of Valderama and De la Paz streets, in Binondo, Manila at around 1:30 a.m. yesterday. Ohoy said the victims were on their way home on board a Honda CRV (WKM-598) when a dark colored car with plate number WDH-354 blocked their path.

Police gathered that three of the suspects armed with high-powered firearms, immediately alighted from their vehicle and forcibly boarded the victims’ car at gunpoint. As one of the suspects reportedly took the steering wheel from Dante, Mely managed to escape by jumping off from the vehicle. The suspects did not bother to go after Mely and instead maneuvered the vehicle and sped southward.

Police said another suspect drove their vehicle and acted as escort to the victims’ vehicle. The twin abduction was immediately reported to authorities. – Cecille Suerte Felipe