PAOCTF rescues kidnapped boy

A 14-year-old son of a Caloocan City plastics manufacturer was rescued unharmed by agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) after 10 days of captivity in Valenzuela City over the weekend.

PAOCTF-Luzon chief Senior Superintendent Cesar Mancao said Jefferson Lua, a student of the Philippine Academy of Sakya, was abducted by armed men in front of his residence along Malvar Street in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City last Nov. 23.

Lua looked tense and nervous when he was presented to the media yesterday afternoon.

When asked, Lua positively identified Zaldy Gilla, 41, of Javier, Leyte; Domingo Acala, 46, of Imelda, Tacloban City; Teodoro Villamor, 43, of Javier, Leyte; Antonio Regis, 41; of Catbalogan City; and Arturo Cautever, 42, of Biliran, Leyte, as his abductors. The sixth suspect, Jose Duhaylungsod, was wounded after he allegedly tried to shoot it out with the policemen.

The victim’s father, Lua Lin Sing alias Jimmy Sy, informed the PAOCTF immediately of the kidnapping after the abductors demanded P10-million ransom for his son’s release.

During yesterday’s press conference, presided by Senior Superintendent Benjamin Ma-galong, PAOCTF’s officer-in-charge, it was revealed that the suspects, led by one Juanito Moreno, are also being investigated for other kidnapping cases in northern Metro Manila.

Police conducted the rescue operation shortly after the ransom demand was lowered to P1-million.

The breakthrough came at around 12:30 a.m. last Sunday, when Sy agreed to finally deliver the ransom money in exchange for his son’s release.

Unknown to the suspects, police agents were tailing Sy, who arrived onboard a black Toyota Revo for the pay-off in front of a hamburger stand in Sauyo, Novaliches.

After receiving the money, two of the suspects proceeded back to their hideout in a shantytown along Gen. T. de Leon Street, Camcam, Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela.

Policemen stormed the hideout, rescued Lua and recovered the ransom money intact.