3 kidnap victims released

Two Fil-Chinese sisters and their male driver abducted by six heavily-armed men for a reported P10-million ransom in Valenzuela last Saturday were released Friday morning, a very reliable source from the Caloocan City business community confirmed yesterday.

The source, the same Chinese trader who maintained communications with the victim’s family and first fed information to reporters about the incident last Sunday night in the presence of high ranking Caloocan City police, said the drivers of the victims’ Toyota Revo was the first to be released which was on the same night they were abducted along Tatalon Street in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City at around 5:30 last Saturday afternoon.

The source who relayed the news via text message yesterday morning, also said the family of the victims did not seek the assistance of the police fearing that the lives of the hostages might be endangered.

It was gathered that the kidnappers later threatened to liquidate them unless the P10 million ransom was given immediately.

Although the source did not confirm the ransom report, police sources said the ransom could have been eventually paid after negotiations began when the driver was freed. – Jerry Botial