Alleged leader of kidnap gang killed, 3 others nabbed in Marawi City

ILIGAN CITY—The suspected leader of a Lanao del Sur-based kidnap gang was killed while three others were arrested when police conducted a follow up operation in Marawi City—shortly after the gang’s 7-year-old victim and his nanny were freed on Friday.

Supt. Gervacio Balmaceda, spokesperson of the Northern Mindanao police, told a radio station that the slain suspect had been identified as a certain Jun Nazir of Madalum of Lanao del Sur.

In the same interview, Balmaceda said authorities also arrested three persons suspected to be involved in the February 12 kidnapping of a boy, a pupil of a school in Cagayan de Oro City, and his nanny.

Among those arrested, he said, was a relative of the boy.

The police said that, Nazir’s group and the boy’s parents agreed to a payoff in Marawi City on Friday. The amount was undisclosed, however, authorities said the payoff was being closely monitored by a team of policemen from Cagayan de Oro City.

After the payoff in Barangay (village) Matampay in Marawi City, the police tailed the kidnappers, however, the suspects sensed the presence of lawmen and engaged them in a shootout.

Two Cagayan de Oro City policemen, identified as Senior Insp. Ramses Cartagena and PO1 Jeremy Rivera, were injured in the said shootout.
The arrested suspects, who yielded handguns and a grenade, will face multiple charges, Balmaceda said. RAM

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