ILIGAN CITY (March 18) —– Two alleged members of a kidnap-for-ransom group were killed in a shoot out with the operatives from National Bureau of Investigation Iligan and the Anti Kidnapping Group (AKG), in Barangay Bagumbayan, Kauswagan town, Lanao del Norte, Friday afternoon, March 15
Special Investigator Joey Robert Ajero, officer-in-charge of NBI Iligan, identified the suspects as Zainal Wahab Onding, 31, a resident of Lower Dansalan, Marawi City and Naipodin Hosain, 23, resident of Barangay Bualan, Wato-Balindong, Lanao del Sur.
The joint operation was conducted after a victim sought help following his abduction on March 10 in Marawi City.
Ajero said, the victim, a rent-a-car driver, informed him that five suspects boarded his vehicle and ordered him to deliver them to Iligan City.
While en route to Iligan, the suspects asked the driver to pick up passengers and later advised him to bring them back to Saguiaran in Lanao del sur.
But to his surprise, the suspects declared he is kidnapped and demanded P50,000 ransom for his release.
“The victim then, contacted his family who immediately raised the amount for his release and another P70,000 for the release of his Toyota Vios,” Ajero narrated.
Upon payment of the P50,000 ransom, the driver was freed but the vehicle remained in possession of the suspects.
This time, the victim asked help from the authorities. Unknown to the suspects, they were already dealing with the police for the payoff of the vehicle which was scheduled on March 15 in Kauswagan town.
The deal was sealed, but during the payoff, the suspects noticed they were transacting with the NBI agents and they immediately opened fire against the operatives and the shootout ensued. Two suspects were killed but three others escaped.
Chief Inspector Gemma Corbita, head of AKG Lanao del Norte, said the identity of the victim is still being withheld pending the arrest of the remaining suspects who are subject of a manhunt operations.
Authorities recovered the carnapped vehicle and is now under the custody of the PNP Crime Laboratoy in Iligan, said ICPO Director Senior Superintendent Michael Pareja.-Divina M. Suson/NewsLIne.ph
