ANGELES CITY — A shootout at the Forest Park Subdivision in Barangay Pampang here on Thursday morning resulted to the death of two unidentified Chinese men suspected of kidnapping their compatriots and the wounding of a policeman.
The two Chinese men died immediately in the shootout while the policeman injured in the shootout was identified as Captain Mike Diaz of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) who had a gunshot wound in his right foot and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The kidnap victims were identified as Gang Yang, Yong Long Chen, and Showang Wu who taken by the suspects in Pasay City and were later rescued in Angeles City last June 1.
Two .45 pistols and an M4 carbine were retrieved from the scene while a Hyundai Starex van allegedly used in the kidnapping was also seized.
The police said prior to the follow-up operation on Thursday, two Chinese men linked to the kidnapping identified as Yang Jun and Wu Ze Han were arrested by PNP-AKG agents.
The police investigation determined that the arrested suspects have other accomplices which prompted the follow-up operation on Thursday.
PNP-AKG spokesman, Major Ronaldo Lumactod Jr., said the kidnapped victims were lured by the suspects who promised them jobs as casino dealers in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) firm.
But instead of being given jobs, the three Chinese men allegedly ended up being detained by the two suspects.
They were hired to work for a POGO firm but they were deceived. They were not given the jobs as casino dealers as promised, according to Lumactod in a published report.
As the victims thought they were deceived, they would resist. They would then be detained while the suspects would have them ransomed by their families in China, he added.
In the follow-up operation, members of the PNP-AKG led by Lt. Col. Villaglor Bannawagan, and the Criminal Investigation Detection Group–Angeles led by Capt. Leopoldo Cajibe Jr. and the Angeles City police tracked down the van used in the kidnapping in Forest Park in Angeles City at 9 a.m.
As police officers approached the van, the two unidentified suspects onboard allegedly opened fire, triggering the shootout.
