Abducted Japanese national freed by captors in Cavite

MANILA, Philippines—A Japanese national abducted last Saturday night by still unidentified men, who sought P5 million in ransom, has been released in Cavite “after negotiations,” police said Tuesday.

The victim, Hayato Sumi, was freed by his captors around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday in an undisclosed area in Cavite after ‘‘negotiations’’ were held between Sumi’s camp and the kidnappers.

The police, however, did not disclose if the the victim’s camp paid the ransom in exchange for his release.

The 42-year-old Japanese national, who has been living in Parañaque City since 2009, was taken by two armed men at Don Bosco village in Parañaque City Saturday night.

News reports (not INQUIRER.net’s) quoted sources as saying they saw Sumi being gagged and blindfolded by the gunmen before they sped off in a white sport utility vehicle.

The reports also said that a relative of Sumi had received a phone call demanding P5 million ransom.

The Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group, in coordination with the victim’s family, is still conducting a follow-up investigation.