Kidnapped Korean resort owner rescued

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna — A Korean businesswoman, who was kidnapped by at least five armed men in her resort in Calamba City Sunday night, was rescued unharmed in Quezon Tuesday night, police said. Four suspects were arrested.

Except for a few bruises on her feet, Jung Okho, 39, owner of the Seoul Country Resort Club in Barangay Bagong Kalsada in Calamba, was doing well when policemen rescued her from a safehouse in Barangay Kastañas, Sariaya, Quezon at about 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Jung’s rescue came hours after her family paid a P500,000 ransom, or half of the P1 million her abductors earlier had demanded, in Barangay Imok, Calauan, Laguna.

The rescue operation resulted in the arrest of the four suspects, the recovery of P250,000 of the ransom paid, the suspects’ getaway taxi and the victim’s car, and the seizure of two handguns.

Senior Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz, Laguna police director, identified the arrested suspects as Ali Kamal, Jayson Timbal, 22; Ricardo Lacson, 41; and Eduardo Magbanua.

All four were presented to the media by Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza at Camp Crame yesterday.

De la Cruz said Kamal, the alleged leader, and Magbanua were cornered after a long chase that started from Calauan, Laguna to Sariaya, Quezon Tuesday night, while Timbang and Lacson were caught in a follow-up operation yesterday morning.

The payoff was held in front of a chapel in Imok, Calauan. Unknown to the suspects, a police team was in the area.

Police said a fifth suspect escaped with the rest of the ransom money.

Chief Inspector R’win Pagkalinawan, chief of detectives of the Laguna police and one of the team leaders in the rescue operation, said the kidnappers originally targeted Jung’s husband, Woo Gong Kim, but he fought back and escaped. Taking Jung instead, they initially demanded a P1-million ransom but later raised it to P2 million.

Jung refused to talk to reporters after gaining her freedom.

Jung’s rescue came a day after President Arroyo created the National Anti-Crime Commission (NACC), an anti-organized crime super-body to boost her war against kidnappers.

The agency is composed of the heads of the military and police and chaired by the justice secretary. It has the authority to direct investigations and order speedy prosecution of cases involving heinous crimes.

Arroyo, in forming the agency, gave police and the military "marching orders" to neutralize kidnapping gangs preying on businessmen in urban centers within 90 days.

The Chinese-Filipino community has listed 98 kidnapping cases in the five months to May. At least two Singaporeans and three British nationals were also abducted this year, according to their respective embassies. — With Jaime Laude