Former congressman Dennis Roldan has admitted to his being involved in the kidnapping of a 3-year-old Filipino-Chinese in Pasig City on February 9.

"There was an admission on his part [for the kidnapping of Kenshi "Ken-Ken" Yu]," said Robert Delfin, director of Philippine National Police (PNP).

Delfin yesterday presented Roldan and his six companions to the media at the PNP headquarters in suburban Quezon City.

"Three men kidnapped Yu in front of Chef and Brewer Cafe and Restaurant at the corner of Sapphire Road, Emerald Avenue in San Antonio village, in suburban Pasig at nine in the morning," Delfin said in a report.

"Yu, accompanied by his nanny, was on his way to his nursery school which is located near his condominium unit.

"At 9:30pm, a certain Mang Ed called Yu's parents and demanded a 270 million peso [Dh18.3 million] ransom. Later, the amount was lowered to 3 million pesos [Dh203,886]," said Delfin.

Yu's parents yesterday refused to confirm or deny if they paid any ransom for the safe release of their son.

The boy's father, Roger, said his son was "traumatised" by the ordeal, and added his son was still "afraid and always crying".

On February 18, some people reported to authorities the presence of "suspicious" people at an apartment in Cubao, suburban Quezon City that served as the suspects' safe house, Delfin said.

Policemen and agents of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Responserescued Yu, ending his 11 days of captivity on Sunday.

They seized guns, cars, fake identification cards and spurious permits to carry firearms during the raid, Delfin said.

On Sunday, Roldan was arrested in Filinvest II, a subdivision near the House of Representatives in Quezon City. Also arrested for the crime were Adrian Domingo, 27; Alberto Pagdanganan, 37; Octavio Garces, 50; Noel San Andres, 38; Rowena Prado, 27; and Romeo Orcajada, 43.

They were barred from talking to the media. Roldan's group is "new" but "big", said Delfin, adding that Roldan implicated his girlfriend, Suzette See-Wong, as part of the group. She is still at large.

Wong is the "best friend" of the boy's mother, Jenny Yu, said Mae Ann Dy, an anti-crime crusader.

Roldan's lawyer, Salvador Panelo, said his client was tortured into making his admission. "They hit him with a rifle butt and arrested him without a warrant, without [securing] affidavits from the victims or other suspects," the lawyer said.