TWO CHINESE-FILIPINO kidnap victims were reunited with their families in time for Christmas after police launched rescue and pursuit operations that led to the arrest of six suspected abductors.
The Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) said the two victims were separately kidnapped this month. Five suspected kidnappers were arrested during one rescue operation while another was arrested after the victim had been released.
Giovanni Rosanno Tan was rescued after 12 days in captivity after policemen managed to trace his whereabouts through surveillance cameras, while Michelle Ng was released after her family reportedly paid ransom.
“(In both cases) we were able to arrest the suspects thanks to the cooperation of the victims’ families,” said AKG head Senior Supt. Roberto Fajardo in a press briefing Thursday.
Fajardo said Tan was freed without the family paying the P20 million ransom demand as a result of the successful rescue operation.
Tan, owner of a piggery, was kidnapped last Dec. 10 in Tarlac City. A security guard was killed during the abduction.
From Tarlac City, he was brought overland to Agusan del Norte in Mindanao where his captors gathered more firearms for more planned heists in Metro Manila.
The victim and his captors eventually left Mindanao for Manila passing through Matnog in Sorsogon, the roll-on, roll-off juncture from Samar and Leyte.
Using surveillance camera footage, Fajardo said they tracked down the victim’s location and the vehicle used in the abduction. Twelve days later, policemen rescued Tan at Matnog Ferry Terminal in Sorsogon.
Captured were five suspects who were aboard the Mitsubishi Adventure vehicle used in the abduction.
On the other hand, Ng was abducted last Dec. 17 in Barangay Doña Imelda in Quezon City and was released in front of her house five days later after her family reportedly paid P150,000 to the suspects through Smart Money Padala.
However, the PNP managed to track down the suspect after getting the name and details of the recipient of the money transfer.