MANILA. Four police officers in the Philippine capital have been arrested for kidnapping four foreign tourists and demanding a ransom, officials revealed on Wednesday.
The crime unfolded over the weekend when two officers on motorcycles stopped a luxury car carrying three Chinese nationals and a Malaysian. With the help of armed civilian accomplices, the officers handcuffed the tourists and forced them into a van. Two of the Chinese tourists managed to escape and alerted authorities, according to police reports.
The remaining captives were subjected to beatings before being released after a ransom of 2.5 million pesos ($43,100) was paid, said Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. Information from the freed tourists and security camera footage led to the arrest of the four police officers, including a police major.
A security camera captured the moment the suspected kidnappers, one appearing in police uniform, stopped the car and forcibly extracted its passengers in full view of passing motorists. One of the passengers struggled desperately as he was pushed into the van.
“I was shocked that policemen were the ones involved,” Abalos expressed in a news conference, where the four officers were presented in handcuffs and orange detainee shirts. “This incident is a serious breach of public trust and core values of the police force.”
Authorities are still searching for at least 10 other suspects involved in the kidnapping, who are believed to be civilians. Criminal complaints for kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery have been filed against the arrested officers.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
