MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police has put Police Colonel Elmer Ragay on administrative relief after issues on the legality of a recent rescue operation of the PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) surfaced online.
In a statement on Saturday, March 1, PNP chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil said an investigation into the said rescue operation was already underway.
“Bilang mga lingkod-bayan, dapat tayong maging bukas sa pagsisiyasat at tiyakin na ang ating mga aksyon ay sumasalamin sa pinakamataas na pamantayan ng integridad,” Marbil said.
“Ang review na ito ay para malinawan ang mga pangyayari at mapatatag ang tiwala ng publiko sa PNP.”
(As public servants, we should be open to being investigated and ensure that our actions reflect the highest standards of integrity. This review is being done to get a clearer picture of what happened and help the public trust the PNP.)
Authorities rescued a 14-year-old international student who was abducted in a crime involving Chinese nationals with suspected links to the shuttered offshore gambling operations in the country.
The boy was abducted on February 20 and rescued on February 25. He was picked up from school in Taguig City by their family driver, who ended up dead in another vehicle in Bulacan.
Police said they were able to get pieces of evidence left in the abandoned family vehicle, such as IDs and mobile phone numbers. These allowed authorities to track the kidnappers using surveillance equipment.
According to the PNP, there had been chatter online about the legality of the rescue operation, although it did not specify in its statement what issues were being raised.
On top of their internal probe, the PNP assured that they would be cooperating with the Senate’s own investigation. The upper chamber initially scheduled a public hearing on March 3 into the “alleged rising kidnapping incidents in the country,” but according to the Senate website, this has been postponed. – Rappler.com