2 kidnapped Chinese-Filipino sisters recovered

QCPD director Senior Supt. Richard Albano

Many details were left out and the police gave conflicting stories. But the good news was clear: The sisters are safe.

The two Filipino-Chinese children abducted while on their way to school on Friday in Quezon City were returned to their families unharmed early Saturday morning, according to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

In a press conference, QCPD director Senior Supt. Richard Albano said the sisters, aged 11 and 15 and daughters of a businessman, were “rescued” in Manila by members of the Anti-Kidnapping Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Camp Crame.

But in a text message, PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said the girls were “released” at a McDonald’s branch on Taft Avenue, near the LRT Quirino station around 2:30 a.m. and that their debriefing was underway at press time.

Both officials maintained that no ransom was paid to the kidnappers, who also took the girls’ family vehicle and remained at large.

“They are OK and are now undergoing medical checkup,” said Albano, who on Friday imposed a news blackout on the incident while a dragnet operation was in progress.

Albano declined to detail how the rescue operation went, saying the AKG was still tracking down the kidnappers.

He stressed that no ransom was paid, but disclosed that the children’s family had received a call from the kidnappers demanding “P30 million” for the girls’ release.

The girls were being taken to school by their family driver on a Mitsubishi Adventure around 5:30 a.m. on Friday along Regalado Avenue near SM Fairview in Barangay Greater Lagro, when they were stopped by five armed men (not three as earlier reported to the QCPD).

The men were aboard a Mitsubishi Montero whose license plate (ZAM 847) turned out to have been taken from another vehicle.

An initial QCPD report on the incident said the abductors fired at the Adventure’s side mirror, but Albano on Saturday clarified that the kidnappers’ vehicle sideswiped the Adventure, prompting the family driver to get off for a confrontation.

One of the suspects then pointed a gun at the driver, who managed to run away, while three other men boarded the Adventure, driving off with the girls.

Later that day, the victims’ family received a call from the abductors demanding a P30-million ransom. It was at this point that the QCPD turned over the case to the AKG.