BY AARON RECUENCO
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ANTI-kidnapping operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) rescued a Malaysian after the arrest of two of his foreign captors during an entrapment in Angeles City in Pampanga on Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), said they mapped out the operation based on the request for assistance of the Malaysian Embassy in the Philippines about a certain Lee Jun Sheng who was reportedly being held captive since May.
“They informed us that kidnappers were demanding additional 12,000 RMB ransom money from the victims’ family,” said Estomo.
Estomo said the victim was forcibly taken on May 16 at his workplace by his co-workers and was turned over to another POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) company also based in the province.
But Lee was returned to his previous employers who reportedly demanded money from his parents for his board and lodging expenses.
Based on the previous cases, POGO employees were being kidnapped by their employers if they would insist in going back to their country without finishing the contract. POGO workers would usually insist on going home as the promised salary and benefits when they were recruited are usually cut by at least 25 percent once they arrive in the country.
Estomo said the parents of the victim had already paid a total of 11,000 Renminbi to the suspects on three separate occasions in May for the release of their son. But the suspects demanded for more.
It was then that an entrapment was mapped out by the AKG operatives.
Maj. Ronaldo Lumactod, AKG spokesman, said the suspects were collared during the operation at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the parking lot of a mall in Angeles City.
“After the ransom money was delivered to the kidnappers, the pre-arranged signal was given to the operatives who subsequently effected the arrest of the suspects,” said Lumactod.
They were identified as Indonesian Rano Herman and Malaysian Ong Way Plak. The Filipino driver of the arrested suspects, according to Lumactod, was able to escape.
Lee was rescued in a follow-up operation in a rented place of the suspects based on the information given after the arrest.
Lumactod said appropriate charges are now being readied against the arrested suspects while the victim was turned over to the Malaysian Embassy. (Aaron Recuenco)
