Police have rescued a Malaysian woman who was kidnapped and held for ransom by a Chinese-Malaysian national and his Filipino accomplice, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. identified the suspects as Justine Alaraz, 28, and Chan Yong Howe, 29.
Azurin said the victim, Lim Voon Phei, 35, arrived in Manila on Sept. 9 and was supposed to meet a certain Jerry whom she knew on a dating app.
However, she was met by one of the suspects at the airport and took her to a house in Carmona, Cavite where she was detained.
“With the use of an internet chat application, the victim was able to send messages to her family asking for 26,000 Malaysian Ringgit (roughly P300,000) in ransom for her release. At the same time, she was able to send descriptions of her captors and the vehicle used by the suspects,” Azurin said.
Through this information, members of the PNP’s anti-kidnapping group and the Aviation Security Group (AVSEGROUP) intercepted the vehicle used by the suspects and rescued the victim in an operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Monday.
