Cops foil kidnap of Tsinoy student

The police’s swift response to a kidnapping alarm led to the rescue of a Chinese-Filipino student last Friday in Ermita, Manila.

Operatives of the Manila Police District’s General Assignment Section are now tracing the ownership of the vehicle allegedly involved in the kidnapping try, a silver two-door Mitsubishi Pajero with license plates XEE-279.

Verification of the get-away vehicle with the Land Transportation Office showed the vehicle was registered with the Asia International Auctioneer, with office address at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in Olongapo City.

"My men are now in Subic to determine from the mentioned company whether the subject vehicle is still under its possession. We will continue the inquiry until we get to the present ownership of the vehicle to pin down the suspects," MPD-GAS chief Superintendent Arturo Paglinawan told The STAR.

Reports showed David Felipe III, a student and varsity player of Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), was forciby taken at gunpoint by two men in front of the school gymnasium along Gen. Luna and Padre Faura streets in Ermita, Manila at around 1 p.m.

After receiving the report, Inspector Diosdado Lagajino and SPO3 Renato Viray immediately sounded the alarm to all police units as they motored to the place of the incident.

A Manila police mobile team rescued the victim in front of the Manila Doctors College along Diosdado Macapagal Highway, where the kidnappers dropped him off after hearing the sirens of approaching police vehicles.

The victim said the kidnappers sped off toward Coastal Road.

At police headquarters, Felipe said the suspects had warned him not to harass or intimidate the son of an influential politician.

The victim learned that the son of the politician is also an EAC student, with whom he had previously figured in an altercation.

Felipe also heard one of the suspects calling up his "schoolmate" on a cellular phone, instructing him to immediately return home.

Paglinawan commended both Lagajino and Viray for their swift response to the incident, which resulted in the rescue of the victim from his kidnappers.

"(The abduction) could have deteriorated into a more serious case had it not been for the swift response and alarm of the two police operatives," Paglinawan said.