The Daily Tribune <<< Without Fear or Favor >>>

»HEADLINES

»NATION

NBI, Isafp men rescue trader from Chinese kidnappers

By Pat C. Santos

03/10/2009

Combined elements of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines rescued a Chinese businessman from a big-time Chinese kidnap for ransom group and arrested its mastermind and his two foreign cohorts.

The victim was identified as Henry Sia, Chinese businessman of Tondo, Manila.

NBI director Nestor Mantaring identified the alleged mastermind as Michael Yung, 44, owner of a travel agency and resident of 1327 Soler St., Sta. Cruz, Manila. His two cohorts were identified as Shun Kuo Shi, 48, and Gong Feipeng, 37, both Chinese and residents of 367 T. Buban St., Binondo, Manila.

Meanwhile, authorities said, other members of the group identified as Wilson Ong, Jimmy Go, Siao Tan, Owa Sy, a certain Atong and another John Doe are now the subject of a manhunt operation.

Lawyer Edward Villarta, head of NBI-National Capital Region said that on March 3, complainant Benjamin Yu sought the NBI’s assistance against unidentified men who kidnapped his uncle (Henry Sia), last March 2 on T. Alonzo Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Officials said, the kidnappers initially demanded P15 million as ransom for the victim.

Investigation disclosed that Sia was forcibly taken by four Chinese looking men on a dark-colored sedan bearing a PNPA commemorative plate on March 2 at 7 p.m.

Mantaring said personnel from the NBI National Capital Region and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) swooped down Wednesday last week on an abandoned duck farm in Barangay San Isidro, Magalang in Pampanga and nabbed the two Chinese suspects.

Yung was arrested in a subsequent operation at the San Francisco Hotel in Barangay San Francisco in the same Pampanga town.

Authorities recovered from the suspects several handguns as well as the vehicle they used in the abduction.

Villarta disclosed that negotiations were made by Sia’s family until the abductors raised the ransom to P20 million and insisted that the amount be delivered to them at “the start of the banking hours of March 5” or the hostage would be killed.

The NBI and the Isafp teams immediately conducted the rescue operations, which led to the arrest of the three suspects.

Meanwhile, during media presentation, Yung admitted to the crime as he admitted that the Chinese nationals had sought his help because Sia owed them Hong Kong $1.6 million and 25 kilograms of shabu.

The alleged mastermind insisted that that the kidnapping was intended to make the trader pay for his alleged debt.