AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group on New Year’s Eve rescued unharmed a kidnapped Taiwanese national and arrested two of his Chinese abductors during an operation in Imus City in Cavite, PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas announced yesterday.
According to the PNP chief, members of the PNP-AKG headed by Brigadier Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo stormed the kidnappers’ safehouse at Villa Emmanuelle Town Homes in Barangay Toclong 2B in Imus City 7:20 p.m. Thursday following information forwarded to them by Colonel Jerry Wang, the Taiwan police attache in the country.
The information from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) represented by Wang led in the raid at the kidnappers’ safehouse where a team of PNP-AKG Luzon Field Unit operatives led by Colonel Villaflor Bannawagan and Major Erving Chan rescued Chen Yen Shau.
Two Chinese nationals identified as Lu Cheng and Xie Long Hui were arrested during the anti-kidnapping raid. According to Brig. Gen. Estomo, they got the information that Chen called his mother in Taiwan to inform her he is being held captive and is being ‘beaten badly’ by his abductors.
The Taiwanese national reportedly was asked by his captors to tell his mother to pay the P9 million he owes from the suspects in exchange for his liberty.
Taiwan officials said that Shau was abducted 1 p.m. last Wednesday in Parañaque City by a group of Chinese nationals who beat him in order to force him to contact his mother thru Facebook.
Estomo said that his men first went to the Pearl Marina Tower located along Pacific Avenue in Parañaque City where they failed to find the victim.
A follow-up operation in Imus City led in the safe rescue of the Taiwanese national and the arrest of the two Chinese nationals who were found guarding him. During initial questioning, the victim positively identified the two Chinese as among his abductors and the ones who ‘tortured’ him.
Both suspects are now being held at the PNP-AKG lock-up facility in Camp Crame facing criminal charges before the Department of Justice.
Wang, in behalf of TECO, expressed his appreciation to Gen. Sinas for the PNP-AKG’s immediate effort to rescue Chen from his kidnappers.
“In behalf of Taiwan police, I admire the excellent and matchless performance from the PNP-AKG which led to the successful rescue operation and effectiveness in delivering police services to the victim on last day of 2020,” Wang said.
According to the Taiwan police attache, the PNP led by the Anti-Kidnapping Group has rescued more than 32 Taiwan nationals over the past three years.
