Kidnapped Chinese trader freed unnoticed by police

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — After 45 days in captivity, a kidnapped businesswoman from a wealthy Chinese family in Carmen, Rosales town, was finally set free unnoticed by the police by her captors who were perceived to have been paid millions of pesos last Tuesday somewhere in Victoria, Tarlac, newsmen learned yesterday.

Gina Liu So, owner of the Golden Lumber and Constructions Supply in Carmen, Rosales, was dumped by her captors before dawn Tuesday in a remote area in Victoria. This was also confirmed to newsmen by Senior Superintendent Mario Sandiego, PNP director of Tarlac PNP command, who said that the victim was properly turned over to the PACER members. But another reliable source from the PNP here said that the victim was able to reach the Victoria PNP station where she called her family who in turn picked her up there.

Senior Superintendent Paterno Hernandez, Chief of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Unit of Region I PNP, lamented that the family did not even coordinate with them, making them unaware of what was happening during her captivity.

Newsmen believed that the kidnappers released her without paying any amount. The family has neither confirmed nor denied this.

So was kidnapped by four men who pretended to be customers inside their store last Sept. 14. — Myds Supnad