Six suspects, including a police officer and a female Chinese national, were arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in a series of operations on Thursday, March 18, over the alleged kidnapping of a businessman in Las Piñas City who had been accused of scamming traders in Western Visayas (Region 6).

Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP Officer-in-Charge, identified the suspects as Police Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Jimenez Woo, 46, assigned at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion of the National Capital Region Police Office (RMFB-NCRPO); Cyryl Malana, 38; Maverick Sapitanan, 24, and his mother Marie Grace Sapitanan, 41; Celso Lozano Jr., 50; and Gao Ya Qiong, 30.
Meanwhile, police are conducting a manhunt operation against another suspect identified as Marlon Guevarra, who evaded arrest.

The six suspects were arrested by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) following a complaint from alias "Diane," the live-in partner of the victim, whose identity was withheld for security reasons.

The victim, who remains missing, was allegedly abducted by the suspects last March 16 while he was at his house in BF Resort Village, Las Piñas. 

"Accordingly, the victim has victimized a lot of people in Region 6 through the 'double the money' scheme," said Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesperson, referring to a scam where investors are duped into investing their money on a "too good to be true" return of investment (ROI).

"(The victim) was not saved since he was not in the houses raided by the police. It's a possibility that the mastermind behind his abduction is one of his victims (from the scam)," he added.

After the abduction, Diane sought the help of the CIDG, prompting the police to conduct a rescue operation that led to the arrest of Malana around 12:15 a.m. of March 18 in his house in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City. 

Police recovered a maroon Mitsubishi Montero with plate number ADA-9435, which was allegedly used in the abduction.

A follow-up operation was carried out by CIDG operatives against Guevarra later that day at 6 a.m., also in Barangay Bangkal but he managed to escape.

Police retrieved a cache of weapons and ammunition inside Guevarra's house including a shotgun, an AK rifle, an assault rifle, an axe, two bolo knives, a samurai sword, and two military daggers.

Also found inside the suspect's house were two flahslights, an ultraviolet light, two rifle scopes, a rifle railing, a body vest, an audio surveillance device, magazine holsters, a bipod accessory, and a black case bag. 

The CIDG then proceeded to the house of Maverick Sapitanan in San Lorenzo, Makati City where he was spotted leaving their house and being assisted by Police SMS Woo, who was armed with a pistol.

They were on board a yellow gold Suzuki Vitara with conduction sticker GI 0546 in an apparent attempt to escape, Eleazar said.

Eleazar said that the police car was rammed by Sapitanan's get-away vehicle,  which was driven by Lozano.

A car chase ensued until Sapitanan, Woo, and Lozano were cornered along Bicutan Exit in Parañaque City.

Also in the vehicle was Sapitanan's mother, Marie Grace.

The last operation was conducted by the CIDG at around 5:30 p.m. in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati City against Sapitanan's girlfriend, Chinese national Gao. Gao was allegedly present during the abduction of the victim, Eleazar said.

The suspects were brought to the CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City for the filing of cases.