Five alleged kidnappers, policewoman die in Laguna rescue operation

April 10, 2018

Five suspected kidnappers posing as cops and a policewoman were killed in a shootout in San Pablo City, Laguna Tuesday.

The encounter happened  around 6 a.m. along Maharlika Highway in Barangay San Nicholas, a report from the Calabarzon regional police said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa said police officers were on their way to the agreed payoff area when they chanced upon the suspects on a Toyota Sportivo.

All five kidnappers were killed on the spot during the shootout. Four suspects, through the nameplates of their police uniforms, had names of  Senior Police Officer 3 Fernandez, Senior Police Officer 2 Adalla, Police Officer 3 Dizon and Police Officer 2 Rebadulla.

The body of another suspect recovered at the scene has yet to be identified.

A policewoman identified as Police Officer 1 Ma. Zarah  Andal was killed while Police Officers 1 January Mendoza and Jun Jun Villaflor, and civilian Sebastian Manalo, 26, were injured.

The kidnap victim, Renato Arguelles, 40, was rescued with minor injuries he sustained during the crossfire.

Arguelles, a drug suspect and a high-value target of the Calabarzon police, was kidnapped at around 6 p.m. Monday at his home in Candelaria, Quezon.

The suspects hogtied Arguelles' relatives before taking him, said PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) director Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao.

The kidnappers called Arguelles' family around 11 p.m. and demanded a ransom of P700,000 or they will file cases for possession and sale of illegal drugs against the victim.

Dumlao revealed the suspects have been posing as agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and extorting money from Arguelles,, who is in a police drug watchlist.

“Upon further investigation, we found out this person had five drug-related but he was released,” said Dumlao.

For Dela Rosa, Arguelles' background as a suspected drug offender is not immaterial  in the incident.

“We treated him as a victim and not as high target of the drugs watchlist,” he said. DMS