5 kidnap suspects killed in shootout with police; Taiwanese victim rescued

MANILA, Philippines—Five suspected kidnappers were killed in Bulacan early Sunday in a gunfight with police operatives who rescued a kidnapped Taiwanese businessman.

The Philippine National Police chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome, congratulated the operatives for the successful rescue of the hostage identified as Ying Ching Chang, 29, reportedly the co-owner of a garments manufacturing company in Valenzuela City.

Chief Superintendent Isagani Nerez, chief of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer), reported that Ying was rescued unharmed from the suspects’ safehouse in Barangay (village) Bigte in Norzagaray, Bulacan, around 2:10 a.m. Sunday.

Nerez said two kidnappers who were guarding the blindfolded victim were killed after they shot it out with the raiding police team.

Three other kidnappers who fled were intercepted about a half hour later at a police-military checkpoint in nearby Barangay Minuya, also in Norzagaray.

Nerez said the kidnappers opened fire at the lawmen, shattering the windscreen of a PRO3 mobile patrol car.

The three were shot dead in the gunbattle.

Nerez reported that the rescue operation was mounted by operatives of Pacer, the PNP Special Action Force, Highway Patrol Group, the Police Regional Office 3 and the National Capital Region Police Office.

He said police operatives recovered the entire P210,000 ransom paid by the family of the victim who was reportedly snatched at gunpoint last Wednesday.