Ang Pahayagan

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — A 59-year-old business owner abducted in Cabanatuan City was safely rescued in less than 10 hours following swift, intelligence-driven operations by the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), leading to the arrest of all three suspects and the foiling of a Php5-million ransom demand.

Police said the kidnapping occurred at around 7:52 a.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026, when three armed men forcibly took the victim upon his arrival at his warehouse in Barangay Kapitan Pepe, Cabanatuan City. The suspects also seized the victim’s red pickup truck before fleeing southbound.

Shortly after the abduction, the suspects allegedly demanded Php5 million in exchange for the victim’s release. While attempting to evade authorities, they figured in a hit-and-run incident in Barangay Bakod Bayan, Cabanatuan City, injuring two civilians. Local residents reportedly hurled stones at the suspects’ vehicle following the incident. The injured civilians were immediately brought to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Upon receiving the report, tracker teams and operating units from the Cabanatuan City Police Station, Nueva Ecija Provincial Intelligence Unit, 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, Regional Special Operations Group 3, and the San Miguel Municipal Police Station launched a coordinated pursuit and intelligence-led operation.

The victim was later safely rescued in Barangay Bakod Bayan, while his stolen vehicle was recovered in another area of the same barangay. Police said the suspects abandoned the pickup truck after it sustained a flat tire and fled separately using other vehicles or public transportation. Using tracking data from the victim’s stolen cellphone, authorities traced and arrested a 49-year-old AWOL police personnel at Barangay San Juan, San Miguel, Bulacan, at around 5:52 p.m. the same day. The suspect, identified as the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping and a cousin of the victim, was intercepted while reportedly attempting to sell the stolen cellphone.

Follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of the two remaining suspects: a 34-year-old unemployed man from Barangay Barrera, Cabanatuan City, and a 27-year-old unemployed man from Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, who were apprehended in their respective barangays.

PRO3 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr. commended the police units involved, operating under the overall supervision of Police Colonel Heryl Daguit, Provincial Director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), for their swift response, close coordination, and professionalism.

“This successful rescue and the foiling of a ransom demand highlight the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations and sustained pursuit. Our personnel acted decisively to ensure the victim’s safety while upholding the rule of law,” Peñones said.

The operation is in line with the Philippine National Police’s Focused Agenda, underscoring PRO3’s firm commitment to rapid response, public safety, and the protection of lives and property. (Jason de Asis)