QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The vehicle of one of the previous victims of a kidnapping syndicate – a female Bureau of Internal Revenue official – was recovered during the police operation in Marilao town, Bulacan on Thursday, police said.
National Capital Region (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Friday the police seized the vehicle during the serving of a search warrant on one of the kidnapping gang’s safehouse in Marilao.
The raiders also recovered six grenades, 13 firearms, including M16 rifles and an Uzi submachine gun, three cars and a motorcycle.
An alleged member of the kidnapping syndicate that preys on Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officials, Leo dela Fuente, was also killed during a shootout with the police.
READ: 1 dead as cops hunt down kidnap gang preying on BIR officials
Eleazar added that the owner of the vehicle, a female revenue district officer (RDO) of the BIR, was abducted last June 20 in Quezon City (QC).
“The incident of June 20 was investigated by the QC Police District (QCPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection unit. So nagma-match ngayon na ‘yung nakuha natin sa isang safehouse nila (kidnapping gang) sa Marilao, Bulacan, ay pagmamay-ari ng isang RDO,” Eleazar told reporters in Cloverleaf, Balintawak.
The NCRPO chief did not give anymore details as to the identity of the RDO as, he said, the police have yet to obtain an official statement from her.
He, however, bared that the victim was just held by the kidnappers for a few hours and is currently at the safety of her home.
Eleazar expressed hope that the RDO and other victims of the kidnap gang will finally cooperate with the police in light of the “breakthrough” in the case.
“We believe that siya at iba pa ay maaaring mag-cooperate na sa atin because we turned the tide dahil nga doon sa breakthrough na nangyari doon sa ating operation sa Bulacan and Caloocan,” Eleazar said.
He also explained that kidnappers had been targeting BIR officials, RDOs, and usually demanded millions of pesos in ransom from the victims or their families.
The said persons are usually targeted for what Eleazar described as the “perfect crime” as these victims usually refuse to file complaints to the police.
“That’s why that group was emboldened to continue. Malakas ang loob nila na gawin itong pangkikidnap na ito kasi nga hindi nagrereklamo (‘yung victims),” he said.