Indian bizman escapes kidnap-try

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – An Indian businessman evaded his would-be kidnappers on Thursday along the national road in Barangay Parian.

One of the three suspected kidnappers was collared after bystanders mobbed him.

Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) Director Franklin Bucayu Jr. only identified the victim as Ram (for security reason) while the arrested suspect was identified as Rudy G. Santos.

Santos, 32, a native of Butuan City is residing at Baler Street in Quezon City.

Initial investigation showed that the kidnap-attempt happened at around 11:50 a.m. last Thursday along the national road in Barangay Parian, San Fernando City.

Three unidentified men alighted from a car and tried to drag Ram inside. One of the suspects tried to scare the victim by showing a gun tucked in his waist. The victim resisted and started calling somebody at his cellular phone.

The suspects scampered and fled when they sensed Ram was calling for help.

Bucayu said Ram actually called the Police Regional Intelligence Division hotline and reported the incident.

Ram got the hotline in one of their consultative meetings with businessmen and foreign nationals staying in La Union.

Immediately, Mariano Luis Verzosa Jr., Police Regional Intelligence Division chief, alerted all police station along the national highway and ordered immediate checkpoints and dragnet operations.

The suspected get-away car was intercepted in Aringay but two of the suspects escaped, while Santos was mobbed by bystanders who joined the chase.

Santos was brought to the Aringay Police Station for further investigation while the vehicle was placed under police custody.

Initial check with the Land Transportation Office showed that the vehicle was registered under the name of a certain Renato A. Tomas of Bantug, Nueva Ecija.

A case of grave coercion is set to be filed against Santos and the two other suspects.