Vice-President stages arrest

(First Edition)

MANILA (Reuter) - Joseph Estrada, Vice-President of the Philippines, personally arrested two high-ranking police officers for alleged links to kidnap gangs yesterday after tricking them into appearing at a news conference at his home.

In scenes reminiscent of his days as a film actor playing the role of a vigilante, Mr Estrada shocked the two officers by producing a surprise witness against them - a policeman who had confessed to being a kidnap gang member.

''Right now they are ordered arrested,' Mr Estrada said after patrolman Nonito Arile identified Major Jose Pring and Major Timoteo Zarcal as members of a syndicate engaged in kidnapping Filipino-Chinese businessmen in Manila.