A swab test requirement apparently led to the rescue of four Chinese victims in separate operations in Quezon City and Mexico, Pampanga after they were allegedly abducted by four foreigners and their seven Filipino cohorts, the Philippine National Police (PNP) bared Friday.
Police Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) director, said they received a tip from a diagnostics laboratory in Quezon City that one Ming Xuanbo, an alleged kidnap victim, was scheduled to undergo a swab test prior to her flight back to China.
Estomo said they immediately conducted a rescue operation that resulted in the rescue of Xuanbo around 6 p.m. last Wednesday, Feb. 24, at a medical diagnostic center on Amoranto Street, Quezon City.
The police operatives also arrested three suspects identified as Liang Khai Chean, a Malaysian national; Mou Yun Peng, a Chinese national; and Benjie Labor.
During the debriefing, Ming told cops that three more kidnap victims--all fellow Chinese nationals--were being held at a safe house in Mexico, Pampanga.
A follow-up operation was carried out later that day, this time resulting to the rescue of Zhang Wei, Shi Li Wen, and Wu Xin, at around 10 p.m.
Police also nabbed eight more suspects identified as Zhang Jin Xu and Teryanto, both Chinese; and their Filipino accomplices Jean Dominic, Keannu Louis Mateo, John Joderick Bautista, Ronald Allan Rosal, Lewis Yuson, and Mark Jeric Cruz.
Estomo said the victims positively identified the suspects as their abductors, claiming they tortured them until they were paid a large sum.
The suspects were brought to the PNP-AKG detention facility in Camp Crame, Quezon City for the filing of charges.