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By Maricel V. Cruz Reporter
The anti-kidnapping unit of the
Philippine National Police recorded
an almost complete turnaround in the trend of kidnap-for-ransom
cases this year, with only a single case reported during the first
three months of 2008.
The Police Anti-Crime and
Emergency Response (PACER) made that assessment in its 1st Quarter
Accomplishment Report submitted to Philippine National Police Chief
Director General Avelino Razon Jr.
This developed as Razon
instructed PACER to continue manhunt operations against the
remaining suspects in the list of the Most Wanted Personalities who
are involved in kidnap-for-ransom.
“We must seize the opportunity
now that we are enjoying the full support of the community in
accounting for all wanted kidnapping suspects, before they can
re-group or re-organize,” Razon told PACER Chief, Senior Supt.
Leonardo Espina.
Elated about the apparent
decrease in kidnap-for-ransom cases this year, Razon said PACER must
“sustain the momentum of the series of successful anti-kidnapping
operations that were recorded last year and during the first quarter
of 2008.”
For his part, Espina said the
lone kidnapping case reported during the past three months was
eventually solved with the arrest of the suspect, and the safe
rescue of the victim who is the son of a hardware store owner
“We want to ensure that this
favorable trend will continue for the rest of the year through
intensified police operations, as well as proactive prevention
measures that we are implementing in cooperation with the community
and the particular sectors that we consider as vulnerable
targets,” Espina said
Five most wanted arrested
PACER arrested the five most
wanted kidnapping suspects this year: Taupin Anahalul who carried a
reward of P1-million; Manny Escobar with a reward of P250,000; and
Indian nationals Darshun Shandu and Surinder Singh, both suspected
of masterminding the kidnap of their fellow Indians in Central
Luzon; and Ronie Dillung, wanted in Basilan for kidnap and murder.
At the same time, Espina dismissed
a kidnapping scare being spread through text messages by still
unknown individuals who claim that “kidnapping is rampant
again,” and is being perpetrated by a Chinese group.
“No such kidnapping of a
Filipino-Chinese cellphone trader ever occurred, much more the
supposed P200-million bank transfer pay-off. This kind of tale can
happen only in the movies,” Espina said.
Espina also said they are now
coordinating with other police and law enforcement agencies to trace
the source of the text scare.
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