FOUR suspects, including two dismissed policemen, were dead during a rescue operation of a kidnap-for-ransom victim in Parañaque Wednesday evening, April 15, 2026.
In a press conference Thursday, April 16, 2026, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said the victim, an Indian but a naturalized Filipino businessman, was taken by the suspects on April 14.
The suspects initially demanded P50 million in exchange for the victim’s freedom.
The victim’s family immediately coordinated with the PNP-Anti Kidnapping Group (AKG), which planned the rescue operation.
On the evening of April 15, the family of the victim handed over a P10 million ransom to the suspects.
The victim was released a few meters away from where the money was dropped off, triggering the conduct of police operations against the suspects.
The suspects, sensing the presence of the authorities, fired shots that resulted in an encounter.
The four suspects aboard the getaway vehicle were killed, while an anti-kidnapping operative was wounded.
“Sa nasabing insidente, meron tayong apat na suspects na kung saan dalawa dito ‘yung Awol (absent without leave) na miyembro ng PNP. ‘Yung suspect No. 2 na in-identify ng AKG, ito po ay may warrant of arrest para sa kaso na malversation of public funds, at yun pong isang Awol na noong 2025 na formerly na-assign sa northern police district, siya naman ay may kasong Awol kaya siya na-dismiss sa PNP,” said Tuaño.
(In the said incident, we have four suspects, two of whom are Awol (absent without leave) members of the PNP. Suspect No. 2, who was identified by the AKG, has a warrant of arrest for a case of malversation of public funds. Meanwhile, one of the Awol individuals, who was formerly assigned to the Northern Police District in 2025, has an Awol case and was dismissed from the PNP because of it.)
Assorted firearms and police uniforms were also found in the suspects’ vehicle. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)