Courtesy: AKG
A DARING rescue operation in Parañaque City on Wednesday night ended in a deadly shootout, resulting in the deaths of four suspects involved in the kidnapping of a businessman.
The Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) confirmed that the suspects, identified as Rhian Martinez de Guzman, Argel Valenzuela Nabor, Robert Allan Raz, and Robin Escandor Reyes, were killed after engaging responding officers.
Adding a disturbing layer to the case, authorities discovered that two of the slain suspects, Argel Valenzuela Nabor and Robin Escandor Reyes, were former members of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) who had been dismissed in 2025 for being absent without official leave (AWOL).
Nabor also reportedly had an outstanding warrant for the misuse of public funds. The presence of former law enforcers within a criminal syndicate highlights a serious concern for the PNP, with spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño emphasizing the force’s commitment to pursuing and prosecuting errant colleagues, whether active, AWOL, or dismissed.
The victim, an Indian national who had become a Filipino citizen, was abducted while en route to his Makati residence. The kidnappers contacted his family multiple times, initially demanding P50 million in ransom. Through negotiation, the family managed to reduce the ransom to P10 million, arranging the pay-off near a mall along Macapagal Boulevard in Parañaque.
The ransom was handed over to the suspects, leading to the victim’s release shortly before the confrontation with the police operatives. The suspects, traveling in a Toyota Fortuner and a Mitsubishi Xpander, opened fire on the AKG operatives, who returned fire, resulting in the deaths of the four individuals in the Fortuner.
The investigation is ongoing, with at least three more suspects still at large.
Authorities recovered the Mitsubishi Xpander in Malate, Manila, along with PNP uniforms, a pistol, a hand grenade, and license plates.
An undetermined portion of the ransom money was also recovered. While the PNP considers the case “solved” with the rescue of the victim and the neutralization of the immediate perpetrators, the involvement of dismissed police officers raises questions about potential internal corruption and the broader network behind such sophisticated kidnapping operations. The PNP maintains its resolve to dismantle any criminal elements, regardless of their past affiliations.
