PNP unit starts probe on Muntinlupa kidnapping

MANILA, Philippines – The Presidential Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer) unit on Thursday started investigating the abduction of two high school students of a British school in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Pacer chief, said he only learned about the abduction of the students – who are sons of a money trader – from the news and not from the victims’ family. Earlier reports said that the family of the victims opted not to involve the police in the negotiations and reportedly gave in to the suspects’ ransom demand. Radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen quoted Espina as saying that the Pacer is currently coordinating with Teresita Ang-See of the Citizens Action Against Crime and Corruption on the matter. Ang-See had said that the victims, seized on March 19, have been released on March 24. The anti-crime group claimed that kidnapping incidents in the country have risen in the last three months. Espina urged the public to report to police authorities any incident of abduction to prevent a repeat of the Alabang kidnapping incident. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV