(Update) 10 kidnap gang members nabbed in series of police raids

(Updated 2:10 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines – Operatives from the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer) on Monday said they recovered firearms, cell phones and P850,000 in cash from 10 members of a kidnap-for-ransom and robbery group who were arrested in a series of police operations in previous days. Aside from the seized items and money believed to be part of a ransom, the police also confiscated a Toyota Altis (ZHB-843) and a Mitsubishi Lancer (PFP-879). The arrest of the suspected members of the Amolo Group was made through the Pacer’s four-day police operation from Wednesday until Saturday last week. The ten suspects, including a woman, were positively identified by one of the group's victims who was recently abducted then released by the group. The ten suspected robbers were identified as: • Melchor Herrera, • Niño Carangan, • Crizaldo de Guzman, • Alven Lacandzo, • Armando Aquino, • Reggie Reyes, • Florentino Amolo, • Edgardo Fernandez, • Jocelyn Ferolino, and • Reynante Alcazar. Police, however, said de Guzman - one of the 10 collared suspects - died of a heart attack upon arrest. Pacer chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said they are still conducting operations for the arrest of two remaining members of the Amolo Group, which he said was a newly-formed robbery group operating in Cavite, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Metro Manila. For his part, PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr said that while two members of the group remain at large, the PNP it considers the kidnap group to be already “neutralized." Also claiming that kidnapping-for-ransom in the Philippines is at an “all-time low," Razon said the PNP is determined to stamp out “new players" like the Amolo group which have recently cropped up. “Although kidnapping-for-ransom is at an all-time low because the more notorious syndicates have been neutralized, we should not allow ‘new players’ to venture into this kind of criminal activity," Razon said. Bank executive Ramon Murillo, 62, was key in identifying the suspects. Murillo was seized by the Amolo Group on Tuesday last week. Three days later on Friday, Murillo was freed after his relatives allegedly gave in to the crime group’s P1-million ransom demand. Authorities said that the group was also behind the kidnapping and murder of Korean businessman Chan Kil An in Cavite early this month. “We have known the Amolo Group to be involved in the Chan and Murillo kidnapping cases, but we are still looking deeper into the other activities of this group," Espina said. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV