FIL-CHINESE COMMUNITY ALARMED

2 girls kidnapped, released after 2 days

WHEN the police was not looking, supposed members of a Kidnap-for -Ransom (KFR) gang struck in Dagupan, victimizing two daughters of a Fil-Chinese businessman in another town.

The incident reportedly happened in the afternoon of November 15 somewhere in Bonuan Binloc at about 4:00 p.m. when the girls were returning from school aboard a car driven by the family driver.

       At that time, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. was in Malasiqui to inaugurate a newly built community precinct in barangay Lareg-lareg after attending the birthday bash of Rep. Rachel Arenas of the third district.

Reports gathered by The PUNCH indicate that the family driver may have been released by the kidnappers shortly after abducting the children to report to his employers about the kidnapping.

       Reportedly kidnapped were pupils of two exclusive private schools — aged 11 and 12.

The two girls’ classmates confirmed the two did not report to their respective classes on Friday as they were still in the hands of their abductors.

The name of the businessman is being withheld for security reasons.

The police in Dagupan City neither confirmed nor denied the incident.

Police Chief Dionicio Borromeo said the family of the victims refused to cooperate with the police.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. indirectly confirmed the incident on Wednesday when he said that he gathered that the two girls were released after two days.

He stressed, however, that this was what he gathered from the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) group, which is now investigating the incident.

PUNCH sources said the two girls were released by their kidnappers somewhere in San Fabian town two days after their abduction, after their parents paid a P2 million ransom.

A source said the negotiation for the release of the girls happened somewhere in Baguio City where the kidnappers were allegedly asking for P5 million.

Although the police was not contacted by the girls’ parents, news of the

Incident immediately spread among members of the city’s Chinoy community.

Two nights after the kidnapping, shocked Chinoy residents noticeably stayed away from public places.

 This was the first reported kidnapping in Dagupan City since the kidnapping of businessman Charlie Ngo, owner of Star Plaza Hotel, in 2001.

Also kidnapped later was Gina So, wife of businessman Rene So, of Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan, owner of Goldon Hardware.

He was released after his family reportedly paid a still undisclosed amount to the kidnappers.

The police was also tight-lipped in the Ngo case as well as in the City neither confirmed nor denied the incident So kidnapping.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Pangasinan Chinese-Filipino Chamber of Commerce has asked the police authorities to strengthen their intelligence operations against KFR groups.

The business group’s president, Rosendo So, said in a statement issued November 22 that the kidnapping incident “alarmed not only the Chinese-Filipino community who are almost always the victims of kidnap-for-ransom syndicates, but the entire Pangasinan province where several kidnap-for-ransom activities were carried out in the past years”.

The group is asking for the setting up of more checkpoints guarded round the clock and for the strict enforcement of laws against vehicles without plate numbers.

“We are afraid that with the payment of ransom to the KFR syndicate and with the seeming helplessness of the police authorities to go after the criminals, they will become emboldened to continue their criminal activities,” So said.–LM

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