Five-year-old kidnap victim rescued in Davao del Sur

A KIDNAPPED five-year-old son of a businessman in Davao del Sur was rescued by authorities on Thursday morning.

The operation led to the killing of one of the perpetrators and the arrest of another, Superintendent Jose Carumba, spokesman of the Southern Mindanao regional police office.

Dave Anthony Jaime Chiu was snatched by a group of armed men last Oct. 17 near his school in Matina district in Davao City, Carumba said.

Immediately after the incident, the victim’s parents sought police assistance which prompted the operation. The kidnappers were demanding P2 million in ransom, the parents told the police.

“The initial demand is P2 million, but there was a negotiation and the ransom demand was reduced to P180,000,” said Carumba.

At around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, the kidnappers met with the victim’s parents for the ransom payoff in Barangay Sibulan, Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur. He said policemen were around to accost the suspects.

However, when the gunmen noticed the presence of cops, they gave chase but were later arrested. Among those arrested include 18-year old Joel Reyes Moda.

The kidnap victim was rescued by pursuing policemen in the nearby Sinawilan village three hours later. He was abandoned on a deserted road in the area, said Carumba.

The pursuit operation, he said, went on and at around 8:30 a.m., Carumba said another unidentified suspect was killed in a gun battle with the policemen. “He (slain suspect) tried to lob a grenade on the pursuing policemen, he was killed,” he said.

The official said at least two more suspects are still being hunted down. (VR/Sunnex)