4 suspects in casino junket operator’s kidnap-slay killed in Cavite

October 27, 2017, 5:34 pm

CARMONA, Cavite -- Four suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate were killed before dawn Friday during an encounter with joint operatives of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) and Cavite law enforcers along San Lazaro Road, Sitio Ulong Tubig in Barangay Mabuhay in this town.

The slain suspects, two of whom were rogue policemen who were declared absent without official leave (AWOL), were tagged by law enforcers as those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Filipino-Chinese businessman Carlos Abad Tan last Saturday (October 21).

The rogue policemen were identified as Police Officer 3 Rodel Estonatoc and Police Officer 1 Ramil Espejo; while Erwin Gallano Escobido and another alias "Taba" are still being probed whether they are also rogue policemen or civilians.

The PNP-AKG operatives, led by Supt. Arthur Masongsong, Supt. Ramil Montilla, Chief Insp. Leo M. Canuel, and Insp. Montano Nuestro, tracked down and neutralized the four suspects in a shootout that occurred at about 4:10 a.m. Friday, according to the Carmona Police.

PNP-AKG director, Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, said Tan, who is known as a Resorts World Manila casino financier or junket operator, was abducted along with his driver at dawn Saturday along the road by the suspects. The kidnappers allegedly demanded a PHP50-million ransom from Tan’s family.

Dumlao said his operatives began tracking down the suspects while the family was negotiating with the kidnappers to reduce the ransom to PHP5 million, between 10 a.m. and 12 noon Saturday. The kidnappers insisted on PHP10 million.
He said the kidnappers freed Tan's driver after blindfolding and tying him.
The anti-kidnapping operatives, with the help of Tan’s driver, traced the kidnappers’ possible routes from Resorts World Manila, along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Silangan Exit in Canlubang, Laguna, and the Cavite area and coordinated with the Tagaytay City Police.
As the team travelled to Cavite, Tan's driver said they passed by a rugged or rough road until they moved to another road, which the driver signaled to be the site where the kidnapped businessman could possibly be held.

Police operatives later found Tan's dead body, “eaten by a bayawak (monitor lizard)” near Talisay Road.

Police are still conducting their investigation as of press time. (Rogelio Limpin/PNA)

Comments