4 suspects in Parañaque kidnapping died after armed encounter — PNP-AKG

The four suspects in the kidnapping that led to an armed encounter with authorities in Parañaque have passed away, the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) said Thursday.

“Opo, ang mga suspek po (Yes all of the suspects),” AKG chief Police Brigadier General Glicerio Cansilao said in a press briefing when asked if all the suspects were killed.

Two of the slain suspects were former police officers who had been dismissed from the service. Meanwhile, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identification card was recovered from another suspect.

The other suspect was a civilian.

According to the police, the victim is a naturalized Filipino of Indian descent. 

The victim left his office in Parañaque City at around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and was on his way home to Makati City when he was abducted.

The incident was reported at about 10 p.m. by the victim’s daughter-in-law after a series of alarming phone calls from the suspects.

At around 7:36 p.m., an unidentified male caller using the victim’s cellphone contacted the daughter-in-law and instructed her to negotiate for the victim’s release. 

Another call was made at 8:01 p.m. to the victim’s wife with the same demand. By 9:58 p.m., the suspects again reached out and demanded a ransom of P50 million.

Authorities said negotiations continued Wednesday with the ransom amount eventually reduced to P10 million.

Later that evening, at about 7:52 p.m., law enforcement operatives conducted a rescue operation that led to the victim’s safe recovery.

The four alleged kidnappers aboard a sports utility vehicle (SUV) sustained gunshot wounds during the armed encounter and were later declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

Several attendants from a gas station across the street said they were caught off guard and immediately dropped to the ground to avoid getting hit by stray bullets.

Four lanes of Macapagal Avenue were cordoned off.

“Four of the suspected kidnappers sustained injuries and were immediately brought to the nearest hospital for proper medical attention,” PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. earlier said in a statement.

“One police operative also sustained minor injuries and is now in stable condition,” he added.

Authorities are investigating another abandoned vehicle believed to be connected to the kidnapping.

Investigators are looking into whether it was used to transport the victim or facilitate the suspects’ movements during the abduction and ransom exchange.

In an interview on Unang Hirit's On Record Thursday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the suspects were the last remaining active members of a kidnapping-for-ransom group composed of rogue ex-policemen.

The group reportedly targeted mostly Indian nationals but a previous case in January involved a Chinese factory owner who was also successfully rescued.—AOL, GMA News