THE Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) announced on Monday the solution of two kidnapping cases and rescue of three kidnap victims, following separate operations in Bulacan and Laguna.

Reports at the police operations center in Camp Crame said that the first kidnapping occurred on December 22, when at least five gunmen took Gurtej Singh and his wife, Kulwinder Kaur in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, Pulilan, Bulacan.

The reports said that the suspects initially asked for P20 million for the safe release of the couple, but the ransom was later lowered to P10 million.

Kaur was then released on December 29 after the family paid P227,000, but her husband’s release was put on hold—the kidnappers demanding P3 million.

The kidnappers then cut Singh’s left small finger and sent it to his wife to force the family to pay the ransom, prompting the family to then ask the help of the antikidnapping group.

On January 4, AKG operatives fanned out to Brgy. Balasing in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and rescued the victim, killing four of the suspects and arresting one, identified as Rachelle Dosdos, 26.

The second kidnapping case transpired on January 9 after unidentified men snatched an 11–year-old Taiwanese in Brgy. Ceris, Canlu-bang, Laguna—ransom asked was P25 million but was lowered down to P10 million.

Following a series of negotiations, the kidnappers released the victim “without any amount of ransom paid to the suspects” in an undisclosed place in San Pablo City, where he was recovered by police operatives.