(Photos courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – Authorities have arrested six kidnapping suspects, including an active police officer, in a series of operations in Makati City on Thursday.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Officer-in-Charge, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, identified the suspects as Master Sgt. Felipe Woo, assigned at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) in National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO); Cyril Nolan Malana, Maverick Sapitanan, Mary Grace Sapitanan, Celso Lozano, and Gao Ya Qiong, a Chinese national, were arrested during a series of police operations initiated by joint operatives of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and NCRPO.
The suspects were arrested for the alleged kidnapping of businessman Patrocenio Chiyuto.
Based on the report made by Diana Cortez, the victim's live-in partner, the suspects abducted the victim at around 5:30 p.m. on March 16 at his residence in Barangay Talon BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City.
Operatives immediately conducted a validation and follow-up operation that resulted in the arrest of Malana on Thursday around 12:15 a.m., in front of his residence in Barangay Bangkal, Makati.
Recovered from the suspect was a maroon Mitsubishi Montero with plate number ADA 9435 which was allegedly used in the kidnapping of Chiyuto.
Hours later, Maverick Sapitanan, his mother Mary Grace, Lozano, and Woo were arrested in another operation while they were about to leave their condominium unit in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati.
Around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Maverick's girlfriend Qiong was arrested also at a condominium unit in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati. Initial investigation showed that Qiong was with the group when they abducted the victim.
Police officers are now hunting down eight other suspects who remain at large.
The suspects are now detained at the CIDG-National Capital Region headquarters in Camp Crame and are set to face charges in court. (PNA)
