Chinese kidnap victim rescued in Laguna

Police in Laguna rescued a Chinese call center executive who was allegedly kidnapped in Makati City last Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. The victim was intercepted at a checkpoint in Calamba City (map) late Saturday night. WIKIPEDIA MAP

SAN PEDRO CITY — A Chinese call center executive was rescued by the police from his alleged abductors in Calamba City in Laguna province late night Saturday.

Jackie Ong, head of the finance department of the DF Call Communications Inc. based in Bel-Air, Makati City, was intercepted by police at a checkpoint at about 10 p.m. He was handcuffed and bound inside a car.

Police were alerted after residents of Barangay Makiling reported a Toyota Innova driving around the village.

Citing the victim, Calamba City police chief Supt. Sancho Celedio said Ong was taken Friday afternoon in Makati City.

“He was walking on the street when the suspects grabbed and forced him into their vehicle,” Celedio said in a phone interview Sunday.

Celedio said the suspects took Ong to Laguna and drove around Calamba City “while negotiating (with his family) for ransom.” He, however, did not say the amount that suspects demanded.

He said Ong had a head injury from being hit with a gun by one of his captors.

The police arrested the suspects Su Sheng Fu, 27; Yu Guang Dong, 33; and Chen Wen, 22, all Chinese nationals but residing in Makati City.

Celedio said the victim spoke little English while the suspects spoke only Fukien. But based on what the police could make out, Celedio said the kidnapping “apparently has something to do with the victim’s debt due to gambling.”

“That’s just what we are initially looking at but the investigation continues,” he added. /cbb