PNP rescues 78-year-old in Parañaque kidnapping; suspects dead

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MANILA, Philippines — A 78-year-old man who was kidnapped has been rescued by the Philippine National Police on the evening of Wednesday, April 15.

In a statement, the PNP said its Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) rescued the man from four kidnappers in Parañaque City.

The rescue resulted in an armed encounter, according to the PNP.

“The operation was the result of close coordination among units, supported by timely detection and continuous monitoring, which enabled operatives to act swiftly and secure the 78-year-old victim,” the PNP’s statement read.

“During the rescue, the suspects engaged responding personnel, resulting in an armed encounter,” it added.

The PNP initially said the kidnappers sustained injuries; however, as of Thursday, April 16, AKG chief Police Brigadier General Glicerio Cansilao said the four suspects were killed.

Cansilao revealed that two of the deceased suspects were former police officers who had previously been removed from the force.

Additionally, investigators recovered a National Bureau of Investigation ID from a third suspect, while the remaining individual was identified as a civilian, according to Cansilao.

According to reports, the suspects demanded a P50 million ransom for the release of the victim, who is a naturalized Filipino of Indian descent.

The ransom was eventually reduced to P10 million.

According to a GMA News interview with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the group, composed of dismissed police officers, was the last remaining active cell of a kidnapping syndicate.

Although they frequently preyed on Indian nationals, they were also linked to the kidnapping of a Chinese factory owner earlier this year.

“As far as we are concerned tapos na yung grupo to sila yung last remaining active na KFR (kidnap for ransom), puro mga ano yun mga dismissed policeman,” Remulla said in a GMA News interview.

(As far as we are concerned, this group is finished; they were the last remaining active kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) members, and all of them were dismissed policemen.