World | Philippines
Kidnappers free ex-US Marine's teenage daughter
Kidnappers have released, unharmed, a retired US Marine's 19-year-old daughter a day after snatching her, police said on Thursday.
- AP
- Published: 23:37 July 24, 2008
Manila: Kidnappers have released, unharmed, a retired US Marine's 19-year-old daughter a day after snatching her, police said on Thursday.
Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla said it was unclear if Cristina Loyola's family paid the 3 million pesos (Dh250,000) ransom her captors demanded.
She was freed Monday not far from her home in the resort city of Tagaytay, south of Manila, a day after she and her Filipino-American father, Ver Loyola, were seized, he said.
The kidnappers freed the 71-year-old father three hours after the pair were taken hostage.
Police said four gunmen barged into the Loyolas' home, tied up his wife and maid, then drove away with he and his daughter in the family car. They took two cell phones, jewellery and US$1,900 (Dh6,973) in cash, and demanded the ransom.
"We're still conducting follow-up operations to identify and arrest the suspects," said Padilla, the regional police chief.
Kidnappings for ransom are common in the Philippines, but more so in the violence-torn south.
Police officials said they have neutralised most kidnapping gangs in Manila and nearby provinces.
Earlier this month, police filed charges against a police officer who allegedly confessed he abducted a retired pilot and his driver near Tagaytay.
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