Group demanded P100M ransom from victims

AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) shot dead two heavily-armed kidnappers during a gunbattle Tuesday morning in Pililia, Rizal, which also left one anti-kidnapping agent seriously wounded, PNP-AKG director, Brigadier General Rudolph B. Dimas said.

In a report to PNP Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr., Dimas said the slain suspects were identified as among the four armed men who abducted a businessman and a student along San Rafael Village in Tondo, Manila last June 3 and demanded a P100 million ransom for the victims’ safe release.

The slain suspects were identified thru their IDs as Rolly Reyes Castillo and Jerameel A. Ventura, the PNP-AKG director said.

Dimas said investigation showed the kidnappers who were on board a motorcycle and a white Honda CRV (XJC 170) snatched the victims then called up their respective families to make the huge ransom demand.

“The kidnappers demanded a P100 million ransom from their captives’ family although they were uncapable of paying such a huge amount of money,” bared the official.

The PNP-AKG director said that after a series of negotiations, the kidnappers accepted the family’s counter-offer and on Monday demanded that the ransom be delivered to an area in Turbina, Laguna.

However, the suspects changed their minds and asked that the ransom be delivered to another spot in Pakil, Laguna where they were monitored to have ordered the release of their hostages at the iMall in Famy 1:54 a.m. Tuesday.

Dimas said that shortly after the kidnappers took the ransom money and freed their hostages unharmed, they launched a hot pursuit operation which ended up in a shootout in Pililia at 2:30 a.m.

He added that one of the agents identified as Patrolman Joshua Lingayo was shot by one of the kidnappers in the abdomen and was brought to a hospital in Pasig City where he is still undergoing treatment as of press time.

Dimas said that recovered at the scene of the gunfight were the kidnappers’ getaway Honda CRV car, a caliber .45 pistol, a cal. .9mm Taurus semi-automatic pistol, one Ingram machine pistol, several loaded magazines, several identification cards, two pairs of handcuffs two mobile phones and several medicines.

The bodies of the two slain kidnappers were brought to a local funeral parlor for autopsy, the official said.

Dimas said the two victims have reunited with their respective families while a hot pursuit operation is still ongoing to account for the other suspects.

The victims’ respective families requested that the amount of ransom they paid be kept secret citing the high security risk they are facing, the Journal Group was told.

The PNP-AKG has temporarily provided security to the victims.