3 suspected kidnappers killed in alleged shootout with cops in Cavite

Three suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom group were killed in an alleged shootout with police in Cavite before dawn on Wednesday, according to a report by GMA News stringer Rossel Calderon on GMA's Unang Balita.

The Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group was about to serve a search warrant for alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition on former Police Officer 3 Magdaleno Pacia at a reported safehouse before 3 a.m.

However, the suspects allegedly fired at police operatives when they approached their safehouse in Barangay Kayquit 1 in the municipality of Indang.

The police thus fired back at the suspects, resulting in the death of the three alleged members of the gang.

One of the suspects was identified as Vence Venice alias Pigsa, said to be the righthand man of Pacia.

Pacia, said to be a member of the Pacia kidnap-for-ransom group, was not in the area during the operation.

The other two fatalities have not yet been identified as of posting time.

Cavite Police Provincial Director Police Colonel William Segun said the group's usual victims are Chinese citizens.

He said Pacia went absent without leave from the Southern Police District in 2016 before he allegedly joined the kidnap-for-ransom group.

Recovered from the crime scene were several firearms and a red car believed to be the group's service vehicle. —KG, GMA News