FOUR suspects, including two dismissed policemen, were killed while a personnel of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) was injured in a firefight on Wednesday during a successful rescue operation for a kidnapped 78-year-old Indian businessman in Parañaque City, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, BGen. Glicerio Cancilao told reporters that the victim, a naturalized Filipino, was forcibly 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.
Right away, the family reported the incident to the AKG who immediately conducted a rescue operation. After negotiations, the suspects agreed to lower the ransom to P10 million which the family paid off only hours later at an agreed place of transaction.
After the exchange of cash, the suspects sensed the presence of police officers, resulting in a firefight on the evening of Wednesday that led to the deaths of the suspects and injury of an AKG personnel who is now in stable condition.
The ransom money was recovered.
Cancilao said the suspects were involved in previous kidnapping incidents. The ex-policemen were dishonorably dismissed.
Assorted firearms were confiscated from the suspects including various conduction stickers, plate numbers and assorted identification cards.
