Businessman snatched from piggery farm in Rizal

Barely a week into the government’s intensified drive against criminal groups, four armed men abducted a Manila-based businessman from his piggery farm in Teresa, Rizal.

Guang Wal Yap, alias Jose Fong, 58, of Sta. Cruz, Manila, was driving his Elf truck with license plates WLU-288 when the vehicle was blocked by a gray Mitsubishi L-300 van at the entrance to the Cosmos piggery farm in Sitio Bulak, Barangay Bagumbayan at around 12:45 p.m. Sunday.

Four men carrying baby Armalites, M-14 assault rifles and caliber .45 automatics ordered Fong and his passengers — his secretary Florida Borja and farm employees Randy Malinquez and Winnie Cuevas — to step down from the truck. One of the suspects fired at Fong’s vehicle, shattering the windshield.

The Chinese businessmen tried to fight off his abductors but was eventually pinned down and dragged into the van. The suspects then sped off leaving the three employees unharmed.

Four hours later, one of the kidnappers called the victim’s wife Lala in Manila and introduced himself as "Commander Cobra" of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The wife was told to produce ransom, which amount was undisclosed, and to await further instructions on the manner of delivery. As of yesterday, however, the kidnappers have not contacted the victim’s family.

Philippine National Police officials at Camp Crame declined to talk about the latest kidnapping-for-ransom, one of the crimes President Arroyo wants eliminated within a 90-day period.

Earlier, police leaders vowed to bust more criminal gangs in their renewed drive against organized crime nationwide.

Senior Superintendent Jaime Caringal, deputy chief of the Philippine National Police-Intelligence Group (PNP-IG), said their agents have been conducting surveillance operations against more crime rings, particularly those involved in kidnapping for ransom, car theft and armed robbery.

"Expect more criminals to fall in the coming weeks," Caringal said.

The intensified campaign against criminality was launched last week upon orders of PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

Last Saturday, police gunned down nine suspected members of the "Martilyo Gang" in an alleged shootout near Delpan Bridge in Tondo.