MANILA, Philippines - With the intensified campaign against illegal drugs, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has admitted the possibility of drug lords shifting their criminal activities to kidnap-for-ransom.

Dela Rosa has ordered a thorough investigation on a group of suspects who were arrested recently for kidnapping a businessman in Camarines Sur, to determine whether they were also connected to other illegal activities. PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) operatives are hunting down the suspects’ leader.

AKG chief Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao said that the group that kidnapped businessman Francis Leo Sta. Maria Maulion was also behind three to four kidnapping incidents in 2016 or 2015.

“We are checking about three to four incidents, with same routes of pay off, up to Batangas, Lagua, Cavite, Quezon, even the movement of the ransom handler; it was released around 2015 or 2016,” said Dumlao.

No substantial arrest in those three or four incidents ensued, according to Dumlao.

The AKG rescued Maulion, a poultry farm owner, after four months in captivity. The police also recovered P1.2-million ransom during a series of police operations in Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

Dela Rosa blew his top as one of the five arrested suspects, Gerry Mancera, was found to be a barangay chairman.

Mancera initially denied being part of the kidnap-for-ransom group, saying he was threatened at gunpoint, but Dela Rosa refused to buy his denial.