NBI starts questioning Chu kidnap suspects

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has started questioning alleged members of the Waray-Waray Gang arrested for the abduction of Filipino-Chinese Dominga Chu, who was rescued last Friday.

But an NBI official admitted that agents are having difficulty identifying other members of the kidnap-for-ransom gang.

"We have yet to identify the pointer in the kidnapping of Chu so we are having a hard time tracking down the mastermind, said an NBI official, referring to the person who had marked Chu, 65, as the gang’s next victim.

Ten suspects are currently detained at the NBI detention cell.

The source said three of them participated in the actual kidnapping of Chu in Pasay City while the three others acted as guards while the woman was locked up at a safehouse in Caloocan City.

Chu was abducted by armed men while walking on her way home in Pasay City last Jan. 21.

During Chu’s captivity, a resident in the safehouse spotted Chu and immediately reported the incident to authorities.

NBI agents, led by lawyer Ruel Lasala, raided the safehouse, rescued Chu and arrested her kidnappers.

Authorities said the group behind Chu’s kidnapping was also linked to the kidnap-slay of Coca Cola executive Betti Chua Sy. Her body was dumped in Parañaque City a day after she was abducted.

The National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) said no ransom was paid for Chu.

NAKTF chief Angelo Reyes said the kidnappers had originally demanded P15 million in ransom, and later reduced it to P10 million.

Four suspects, identified as Ricky Lagado, 29; Edwin Delfin, 26; Marvin Peralta, 28; and Joselito Tamayo, 23, were presented to the media yesterday. The names of six others were withheld by NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco.

Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza, commander of the National Capital Region Command, said eight other suspects are being hunted down by his men.