5 suspects killed as cops rescue kidnapped Taiwanese in Bulacan

Policemen on Sunday rescued a Taiwanese businessman kidnapped last week in Bulacan in an operation that left five of his captors dead, a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said. Ying Ching Chang, a garments factory owner, was rescued unharmed from his kidnappers’ safe house in Barangay Bigte in Norzagaray town at 2:10 a.m., PNP Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) head Chief Superintendent Isagani Nerez said. The Taiwanese trader was kidnapped from his own factory by unidentified gunmen last Wednesday. Police authorities were able to rescue the victim after a brief shootout at the kidnapper’s safe house, leaving two of the captors guarding the place dead. Three other suspects were also later killed after they tried to resist arrest in a nearby checkpoint and opened fire at policemen manning the area, according to Nerez. During the rescue operations, police authorities were also able to retrieve the entire P210,000 ransom earlier paid to the kidnappers for the hostage’s release. PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome congratulated the operatives for the victim’s rescue. "This particular successful operation is the result of a well coordinated action with other law enforcement agencies and community support thru the Barangay Peace-keeping Action Teams that provided vital information," he said in a statement. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News