MANILA, Philippines — Four suspects, including two dismissed policemen, were killed while a personnel of the Anti-Kidnapping Group was injured (AKG) in a firefight on Wednesday (April 15) in the rescue of a businessman in Paranaque, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PBGen Glicerio Cancilao told reporters that the victim, an Indian businessman who has since become a naturalized Filipino, 78, was taken by unidentified men on Tuesday after leaving his office en route to his residence in Makati City.
Using the victim’s cellphone, the suspects made several calls to his family on the same day. The victim’s daughter-in-law was the first to receive a call from the kidnappers who initially asked for P50 million ransom, Cancilao said. The family reported the incident to the AKG who planned the rescue.
After negotiations, the suspects agreed to lower the ransom to P10 million which the family delivered to an agreed place of transaction.
After the exchange of cash, the suspects sensed the presence of police officers, triggering the firefight on the evening of Wednesday, which led to the deaths of the suspects and injury to an AKG personnel who is now in stable condition.
The ransom money was recovered but AKG personnel are still determining if the cash recovered was complete, Cancilao said.
According to Cancilao, the suspects were involved in previous kidnapping incidents. The ex-police were dishonorably dismissed because of neglect of duty and absence without leave. The other was also the subject of an arrest warrant for malversation of public funds.
While the crime was considered solved, the PNP is not discounting the possibility that other suspects might still be at large, PBGen. Randulf T. Tuaño said.
Assorted firearms were confiscated from the suspects, including high-powered weapons, various conduction stickers, plate numbers and identification cards.