Japanese rescued, 3 face kidnap raps
Japanese national Yuji Nakajima, of Tokyo, was rescued from his kidnappers in Plaridel, Bulacan on April 5. Suspects Miyashita Takashi, of Tokyo, and Filipino cohorts –siblings Roberto and Reggie Reyes, both of Pasig City – were nabbed. The victim, traveling with business partner Yusuke Obara, was kidnapped on arrival from Japan on March 22. The two allegedly had a rift, said Anti-Kidnapping Group director Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao of the Philippine National Police. Nakajima left his hotel with the Reyes brothers after Obara assured him of his safety. The siblings took him to their cousin’s house in Plaridel, where he was held for ransom of an undisclosed amount. Police seized from the suspects a 9-mm pistol and various ID cards supposedly from the National Bureau of Investigation. Obara, now subject of a police manhunt, left for Japan on March 24.
Cop, 5 suspects killed in Laguna shootout
Five kidnapping suspects were killed in a police shootout in San Pablo, Laguna on April 10. Four of the slain suspects wore police camouflage uniforms. Their badges named them as Senior Police Officer 3 Fernandez, SPO2 Adalla, PO3 Dizon and PO2 Rebadulla. Another casualty, PO1 Ma. Zarah Andal of the Candelaria, Quezon police, died enroute to the San Pablo Medical Hospital. Wounded were PO1s January Mendoza, Jun-Jun Villaflor and Jeffrey Borlanes. They were taken to the same hospital for treatment.
Also wounded were kidnap victim Rolando Arguelles, 40, and bystander Sebastian Manalo. Arguelles, a “high-value” drug target of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police, was reportedly taken from his house in Candelaria, Quezon on April 9. Arguelles’ family coordinated with police after kidnappers reportedly threatened to file drug charges against Arguelles if they failed to pay the P700,000 ransom. Police recovered two caliber .45 pistols, a Thompson rifle, two hand grenades and various types of ammunition. Police noted Arguelles used his sand and trucking business as a front for his illegal activities.
Loan sharks nab tourist over P5 million gambling debt
Parañaque City police rescued Chinese national Dong Yun Hao, 28, and arrested three others who allegedly detained and assaulted him over a P5 million gambling debt, the media reports. Dong, a trader vacationing in the country, was found by police inside a unit at Okada Resort and Casino April 9. In-house security personnel stopped suspects Chen Jing Nun, Zhang Zhen Qing and Chuan Fang Li from leaving the building. Police said they planned to demand more than P5 million from the victim’s family in Beijing for his release. The suspects also took videos of the victim being punched to convince the family to pay up, said Senior Insp. Jerry Sunga, investigation section chief. The kidnappers are reportedly loan sharks working for a casino financier operating in Parañaque. The three face charges for serious illegal detention, a non-bailable offense.
The Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order has earlier reported that casino-related gambling is increasing. The ransom demanded by the suspects likewise if getting bigger. The MRPO has requested the Chinese Embassy in Manila to warn their citizens about the pitfalls of gambling in the Philippines.