Indian Medical Student Kidnapped in Las Piñas — 5 Fellow Indian Students Arrested for Demanding P250k Ransom

📌 On September 3, a 24-year-old Indian medical student was kidnapped from his apartment in Las Piñas and held for a 250,000-peso ransom, before being rescued on September 5 by the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG).
The perpetrators were five Indian nationals aged 24 to 26 who attended the same school as the victim. They were arrested while trying to claim the ransom and have been charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

■ Case Overview
· September 3: The victim was abducted from his apartment in Las Piñas.
· The following day (September 4): The victim's brother received a message demanding "250,000 pesos in exchange for his release" and filed a missing person report.
· The family initially transferred 80,000 Indian rupees (approx. 52,500 pesos) to the suspects' account and deposited an additional 150,000 pesos via an ATM along Alabang-Zapote Rd.
· Police believe the suspects kidnapped the victim after he refused their demand to use his cryptocurrency e-wallet account for criminal activities.

■ Rescue and Current Status
· September 5: The five suspects were arrested and the victim was rescued while the suspects were attempting to withdraw the ransom along Alabang-Zapote Rd. (Pamplona Tres).
· The victim suffered a bleeding ear injury due to physical assault during his detention and may require surgery.
· The five suspects have been charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention.

■ Notes for Expats and Travelers
· Do not lend your bank accounts or e-wallets (such as GCash or crypto) to others. Even if asked by someone you know, if it is used for crime, you could become a target or be implicated as an accomplice.
· If family or acquaintances receive a ransom demand, notify the police (911) before sending any money. In this case as well, authorities tracked the ransom deposits after receiving a report to catch the suspects.
· Families with studying-abroad children should set a regular daily check-in time to detect any disappearance quickly.

■ Sources
Daily Tribune (9/9), SunStar·PNA (9/9), Philstar (9/10), Journal News·The Chronicle (September)