Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome yesterday ordered the police units to hit hard on known organized crime groups engaged in kidnapping and other forms of heinous crime activity.
Bartolome issued the order to Senior Supt. Renato Gumban, officer-in-charge of the newly re-organized Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), moments after the safe rescue of a kidnapped American boy and the arrest of two suspected kidnappers in Mabalacat, Pampanga on Friday morning.
In his report to the PNP chief, Gumban said the two-year-old son of US citizen Jayvee Woo was rescued unharmed from his kidnappers near the San Lorenzo Church in Dau, Mabalacat.
Gumban said the boy was snatched at gunpoint by masked suspects from Woo’s residence in San Fernando City last Aug. 15. The kidnappers also took a portable vault containing assorted jewelry and a silver BMW X3 sports utility vehicle (SUV).
The kidnappers contacted Jayvee Woo in the afternoon of Aug. 15, demanding P50 million in return for the safe release of the boy.
After a series of negotiations with the family, the kidnappers accepted a counter-offer of P250,000 with instructions to deliver the money to Dau.
Suspect Michael Roque, 36, of San Carlos City, Pangasinan, was promptly arrested by AKG operatives after receiving the ransom and handing over the boy to his father.
In a follow-up operation, Rogelio Ramos alias Jun-Jun, 44, of Dau Homesite was also arrested.
Woo’s carjacked SUV was later recovered on the Friendship Highway in Angeles City.               Gina Peralta-Elorde