Kidnapped American rescued in Cavite

National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) operatives rescued yesterday an American business executive who was kidnapped and chained by his neck and feet for 22 days by a lone abductor in Bacoor, Cavite.

NAKTF chief Angelo Reyes, who personally led the rescue operations, said Alastair Joseph Onglingswan, a 38-year-old business executive from Los Angeles, California, was rescued unharmed. The suspect, George Yao, a Hong Kong national, is now undergoing interrogation.

Yao also confessed to taking part in the 2001 kidnapping of a Briton, Reyes said.

He said Yao, who was arrested in his house at the Andrea subdivision in Barangay Panapaan, Bacoor, later confessed and led lawmen to a two-story house in nearby Camella Sorrento Subdivision where he allegedly kept Onglingswan in chains.

"Alastair Joseph Onglingswan had been in detention for 22 days, in handcuffs, chained by the neck and legs for 22 days, with no sunlight, no visitor (or companion) except the kidnapper who wore a mask all the time," Reyes said.

Hours after the rescue, Reyes presented Onglingswan to President Arroyo at Malacañang, where the businessman was initially taken to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) Hospital for medical examination.

Onglingswan was later declared healthy by PSG physician Col. Benedicto Jovellanos.

"I’m glad you’re safe," Mrs. Arroyo told Onglingswan.

"I’d like to congratulate Secretary Reyes for yet another successful conclusion of the case. I’d like to present Mr. Alastair Joseph Onglingswan. He’s an American citizen and he was a kidnap victim who was just recovered this morning," the President later told reporters.

US Embassy spokeswoman Karen Kelley welcomed Onglingswan’s rescue, but did not provide other details.

"We can confirm that a US citizen, who has been kidnapped, was rescued this morning through the efforts of Philippine law enforcement (agencies)," Kelley said.

Reyes said through the cooperation of US authorities, they were able to locate Onglingswan who was snatched in Makati City last Jan. 20.

"I just wanna thank the Philippine authorities and the Filipino government and the American embassy for all the support and released me from 22 days of captivity. Nothing has been done and I have all my body parts. I’m glad to be here. I’m very grateful and touched by the support by the Filipino and Americans here," the American later told reporters as he bared plans to immediately return home to the US.

Reyes said he plans to invite Onglingswan to testify against Yao upon filing of the charges.

Onglingswan, owner and operator of remittance company "Pinoy Dolyar" in the US, arrived in the country last month to look into the possibility of investing in an information technology venture, Reyes said.

Reyes said Onglingswan was on his way to a gym on Jan. 20 when he was snatched by Yao, who posed as a taxi driver. Onglingswan narrated he felt dizzy inside the taxi and later found himself in chains when he regained consciousness.

The following day, the victim’s girlfriend, identified only as Iris and working in New York, received an e-mail message from Onglingswan asking for $4,000 to be sent through his Citibank account for his food and other personal needs.

On the same day, the victim’s friend and business partner, Manila Bulletin reporter Brenda Tuazon, also received a text message from Onglingswan informing her that he was kidnapped and asked her to produce P20,000 for his daily expenses while in captivity.

Onglingswan also instructed Tuazon not to report the kidnapping to the authorities.

"This is a unique kind of operation because the kidnapper operated almost alone," Reyes said.

NAKTF was able to crack the case after they traced the origin of the e-mail message to Susana Sumogda in Bacoor. It turned out that Sumogda, a former housemaid, is married to Yao.

After the e-mail was traced, NAKTF immediately placed Yao under surveillance and traced the house where the American was kept.

Reyes said they are now checking whether Yao, who operates taxis in the town of Bacoor, is a member of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate.

"We have information he (Yao) has link with some kidnapping group. We are checking it. When he was caught, he was caught alone. We will know the details and you will be surprised, (he’s) a unique kind of kidnapper," he said.

Yao had confessed to taking part in the 2001 kidnapping of a Briton named Ali Khan. The abductors had chopped off one of the victim’s ears but he was freed after his family paid ransom, Reyes said. - With reports from Christina Mendez, AFP