MANILA — Four policemen were arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping-for-ransom of four foreign nationals in Pasay City.

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, along with National Capital Region Police Office Chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., presented the arrested suspects — a police major assigned to the Pasay Police Station, and three police sergeants assigned to the Makati Police Station and the National Capital Region Police Office — to media during a press conference at Camp Crame on Wednesday,  

Based on the investigation, four abducted three Chinese nationals and a Malaysian national after having traffic police stop them on the road over a fake traffic violation.

The victims were then loaded into a waiting van.

The modus was exposed after two victims managed to escape and report the incident to barangay officials.

“The remaining two captives were released around 6 a.m. on June 3 after a ransom of P2.5 million was paid," Abalos said.

The suspects were arrested during a follow-up operation that same morning.

Abalos said police recovered two motorcycles used in the abduction, a PNP-issued firearm, two mobile phones and have testimony as well as video footage as evidence against the four police officers.

“Yung modus nila is meron nagi-inform sa mga kasamahan na pulis na meron i-operate, i-flag down yung sasakyan. So allegedly may mga kaso then 'yun iaano na nila, kikidnap na nila mga biktima…Usual targets nila is foreign nationals," Pasay City Chief of PCol. Samuel Pabonita added.

(Their scheme is to tell other police officers to flag down the target vehicle, and then they kidnap the victims. They usually target foreign nationals.)

READ: Cop arrested for suspected robbery, homicide in Parañaque

10 MORE SUSPECTS STILL AT LARGE

The PNP is now investigating whether the arrested cops are also involved in other kidnapping incidents.

It added 10 more suspects — none of them, including the alleged mastermind, are police officers — are still at large.

"Possibly talagang sindikato talaga kasi nagsama-sama 'yan. What we are looking for is sino yung mastermind and ang sinasabi nga natin based doon sa initial report may civilian na mastermnind na at large pa that we are looking for,"  Marbil emphasized.

(This could be a syndicate because they are all working together. We are looking for the mastermind, who is reportedly not a cop and is still at large)

TRUST IN POLICE TARNISHED

Nartataez said police are "committed" to working on getting the four cops, who will also be facing administrative cases, convicted.

The four police officers have been charged with kidnapping with ransom, carnapping, and robbery.

"We are not happy na talagang involved yung pulis and sabi ko nga na hindi na natuto itong mga ito e. This is life imprisonment, you destroyed 'yung buhay nyo, and you destroyed yung tiwala mga tao sa pulis natin," Marbil said.

(We are not happy that police officers were involved. This is life imprisonment. You ruined your lives and the people's trust in the police.)

A member of the PNP Highway Patrol Group and a former Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel were arrested earlier for providing unauthorized motorcycle escorts to private vehicles in Parañaque City.

Two members of the PNP Special Action Force were also arrested after getting into a fistfight in a village in Muntinlupa and were discovered to be serving as bodyguards for a Chinese national.

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