Trader kidnapped in QC rescued in Davao; 2 kidnappers killed

A Manila-based businesswoman Sally Chua, in her late 50s was abducted in Quezon City last weekend was rescued in Davao City Thursday, even as two of her suspected abductors were killed while a third was wounded in an encounter with police.

Police in Davao are now tracking down at least 11 other suspects who managed to elude arrest during the encounter, radio dzBB reported.

The report quoted Davao Region police head Chief Superintendent Jaime Morente as saying that the victim was abducted in Quezon City July 5.

Her abductors brought her to Davao City by land. They demanded a ransom of P150 million but lowered the demand to P15 million.

An initial investigation showed the police tailed the suspects after the money was withdrawn at a bank in the city.

But when the abductors were cornered by police, they allegedly opened fire, prompting police to fire back.

The 11 other suspects fled aboard a sport-utility vehicle, even as police initiated a dragnet operation to catch them.

Senior Supt. Ronald Dela Rosa, the city police director said the group was considered to be “big-time” and is made up mainly of locals with “possible connections to an international syndicate.”

The 10-minute “shootout” took place following repeated warnings from Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that criminals have to leave the city “horizontally (reads voluntarily) or vertically (in coffins)” as they have no place here.

Dela Rosa said the police first tried to “corner” the three white vehicles parked outside the Allied Bank on Claro M. Recto St. past noontime but three armed men started shooting at them.

The still unidentified driver and two other gunmen were killed in the process. He said a Philippine Army 2007 ring was found on his finger.

Dela Rosa said another suspect, who accompanied Chua inside the bank, was arrested but about 10 other cohorts, including two women, managed to escape aboard the two other vehicles.

De la Rosa said Chua was kidnapped from Del Monte Village in Quezon City on July 5 and had convinced her abductors to arrange for the pay-off to be made here.

Chua, dela Rosa said, had recounted they travelled all the way from Manila on board the three vehicles so she could withdraw the agreed ransom amount of P15 million.

He said Chua had told him and Duterte that she was hoping the mayor and the police would not let the kidnappers escape, which was why she tried hard to convince them to come to Davao City.

But dela Rosa said before Chua told them these things, the National Capital Region police office had already alerted the Davao City police office about the possibility of the payoff taking place here.

“So we have known it beforehand that they were coming,” he said.

Dela Rosa said the police would do its best to capture the remaining suspects.