‘A big disgrace’

A 29-year-old Chinese student abducted Saturday afternoon in Binondo, Manila was rescued from his kidnappers, a Western Police District (WPD) cop and a civilian partner, Monday night in Valenzuela City.

Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. said kidnap victim Lei Nui, temporarily residing at Unit 27 Jade Garden Town Homes, Don Pedro, Marulas, Valenzuela, was rescued in an entrapment operation by Valenzuela Police Community Precinct (PCP) 3 operatives led by their commander, Inspector Salvador de la Cruz.

Franco said the suspects were to be presented to Metro police chief Deputy Director Reynaldo Velasco yesterday in Bicutan, Taguig.

Velasco called San Pedro "a disgrace to the police force."

Arrested for kidnapping were PO3 Marlon San Pedro, assigned at WPD Station 11 in Binondo, and Ireneo San Andres, 33, a seaman and resident of 145 Culiat, Pulilan, Bulacan.

According to initial reports, two of the victim’s friends, identified as Lu Cong and Bian Jiang, were earlier seen engaged in fisticuffs near the Binondo Church last Saturday afternoon when accosted by San Pedro. The policeman then took them to the police station and locked them up.

At the station, San Pedro allegedly first tried to extort an undetermined sum from the Chinese for their liberty. Lu and Bian were allegedly released after payment, leaving Nui behind because he told the cop he had no money. At this point, San Pedro allegedly demanded that Nui come up with $11,000 (roughly P600,000 at P54 to the dollar) in exchange for his freedom. When the victim refused, San Pedro alleged took the victim to a safehouse in Pulillan, Bulacan.

Using the victim’s own cellular phone, the policeman called a male friend of Nui to produce the cash, police said.

On Monday morning, PO3 San Pedro agreed to lower the ransom to $1,500 (about (P70,000). The suspect also agreed to release Nui in a house at Rosal Street, Villa Teresa Subdivision, Marulas, Valenzuela.

Later that day San Pedro, together with Nui, arrived at around 6:30 p.m. in a white Isuzu Crosswind (CPX 185) driven by San Andres and parked near the appointed house, unaware that the vicinity was swarming with Valenzuela policemen ready to arrest him.

As soon as the victim’s friend handed over the P5,000 bait money to San Pedro, the officers pounced on the suspect. A brief chase ensued when the suspect cop, realizing it was a police setup, tried to run away. – With Pete Laude, Non Alquitran