Men posing as PDEA agents nabbed in Cavite kidnap try

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SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna — Members of the Cavite police rescued a businessman abducted by men who had introduced themselves as anti-narcotics agents, police on Tuesday said.

In a phone interview, Chief Inspector Lory Tarrazona, police chief of Silang, Cavite, identified the victim as Ronnel Dollente Acar, a local businessman engaged in buy-and-sell from General Mariano Alvarez town.

Tarrazona said Acar was abducted by armed men on board a white van around 11:30 a.m. Monday in Barangay Maguyam, Silang. This prompted the Cavite police to send out lookouts and set up checkpoints in the province to track down the van with plate number ABF-5983.

At around 6 p.m., police intercepted the vehicle at a checkpoint in Tanza town. Police arrested its driver Rodnie Bolano, who led  police to their supposed “hideout,” a local inn in Tanza.

Police found Acar, then blindfolded and hogtied, Tarrazona said. The rest of the suspects were arrested and identified as Christian Alberto, Roberto Espinosa, Elmer Francisco, and Apolinario Lucero.

“According to the victim, the suspects introduced themselves as members of the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) when they abducted him,” Tarrazona said. Police recovered two fake PDEA identification cards, three guns and four hand grenades from the suspects.

Tarrazona said on Tuesday that they had been looking into the motives of the kidnappers, saying the suspects did not make clear demands on Acar.  SFM/rga