A PHILIPPINE National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) operation in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu late Monday evening triggered a shootout with a newly-identified gang of Chinese kidnappers leading to the death of four of the suspects, a report to PNP Officer-in-Charge (PNP-OIC) Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr. said yesterday.

PNP-AKG Director Brigadier Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas said that the gunfight that took place in Sevilla Street, Aldea del Sol Subdivision in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City at 9:30 p.m. Monday also resulted in the safe rescue of the suspects’ latest kidnapping victim.

According to the PNP-AKG director, members of the AKG Visayas Field Unit led by Lt. Col. Lee Allen Bauding, backed up by operatives from the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) Regional Intelligence Division and Regional Special Operations Group led by Col. Glenn Mayam and Lt. Col. Ronnie Failoga and the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office under Col. Arnel Banzon raided the suspects’ hideout following a tip from a concerned citizen.

It turned out that the suspects were the same men who snatched another Chinese national identified as Lyu Xingou, a native of Fujian, China, inside the garage of LBF Compound located along 4th Street in La Guardia, Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City, as the victim was preparing to travel to work at the Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City the other day.

Witnesses said that one of the Chinese-speaking men pointed a gun at the victim and forcibly dragged him into their getaway black Toyota Innova with an unknown license plate before fleeing in an unknown direction.

Brig. Gen. Dimas said that during negotiations, the kidnappers asked their captive’s son, who was in China, to give them 1 billion RMB (Chinese Yuan), but the family was only able to transmit 500,000 RMB to them using a WeChat number.

The official said that through the help of witnesses, they were able to locate the group’s safe house.

He said that while conducting surveillance in the area, members of the AKG Visayas Field Unit spotted a Chinese-looking man leaving the house several times.

Residents in nearby places later told the AKG officers that there were more or less four Chinese-looking male residents in the area.

Following coordination with the PRO7 headed by Brig. Gen. Roque Edgardo DP Vega and the PNP-HPG under Brig. Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, the PNP-AKG agents, raided the suspects’ place.

“However, our men were met with gunfire from the suspects prompting them to retaliate, killing all four on the spot. Our agents later rescued the victim safely inside the raided place,” Brig. Gen. Dimas said.

The official said they are looking into the involvement of the slain suspects in several previous kidnapping cases they have investigated, all involving Chinese nationals working in POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) outlets or online casinos.

He said that four loaded firearms used by the slain suspects were recovered at the scene of the firefight. Members of the PRO7 Forensic Group were dispatched to the scene to gather more pieces of evidence, said Brig. Gen. Dimas.