Kidnapping victim found dead in Tanza, Cavite

A kidnapping victim was found dead in Tanza, Cavite five days after camera footage showed him being forced into a vehicle along Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City.

According to the initial investigation, the victim was walking in Barangay Veterans Village on the morning of March 18 when he was forced into a vehicle by two gunmen.

“Naglalakad po ‘yung lalaki tapos mayroon pong huminto na sasakyan po na parang kulay gold,” a witness said in an exclusive report by Dano Tingcungco on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“Tapos po may bumaba po na dalawang lalaki po na may baril po. Pilit po siyang pinasasakay po sa sasakyan,” the witness added.

(The man was walking when what looked like a gold vehicle stopped. Two men with guns alighted, and forced the man to enter the vehicle.)

The Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the kidnappers asked for a P300,000 ransom hours after the victim was taken.

“Una, P300,000 lang, tapos naibigay naman ng family ‘yung (amount), pero tinorture pa rin nila ‘yung victim, pinutulan pa rin nila ng daliri sa paa,” PNP-AKG Spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Manongdo said.

(First, they asked for P300,000 and this was paid by the family, but they still tortured the victim and cut off his toe.)

The body was found in Tanza, Cavite on March 22, with the head wrapped in duct tape and one of the toes missing. It was positively identified by the family.

Police arrested three suspects on the same day — three Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese.

For its part, the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) said the latest murder-kidnapping was the first one in three years that was not related to casinos, gambling, POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), debt, or online scams.

“Ito, perpetrated by Chinese nationals, and the way they tortured the victim is exactly the same way they torture hostages na involved sa mga gambling,” MRPO Founding President Teresita Ang-See said in the same report.

(This is perpetrated by Chinese nationals, and the way they tortured the victim is the same way they torture hostages involved in gambling.)

“Bakit nagiging haven ang ating bansa sa mga criminal syndicates galing sa ibang bansa? It brings a lot of fear sa Chinoy community,” she added.

(Why is our country becoming a haven for criminal syndicates from overseas? It brings a lot of fear to the Filipino-Chinese community.) — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News