ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - A suspect in the kidnapping of Swiss Charlie Rieth was slain by joint police and military teams in a follow-up operation in Zamboanga City on Wednesday night.

Chief Superintendent Francisco Cristobal, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Western Mindanao, identified the slain suspect as Ibno Kais.

Cristobal said pursuing security forces caught up on Kais and 2 more suspected kidnappers while they were allegedly waiting for a boat for their escape along the shoreline of Barangay San Ramon around 6:30 p.m..

He said an exchange of gunfire took place between the suspects and the security forces, which resulted in the killing of Kais.

The police official said Kais's companions were able to escape. Pursuit operations against the 2 suspects continue, he said.

Pursuit operations were conducted after Rieth's rescue in the coastal village of Labuan, before dawn Wednesday.

Cristobal said they got hold of information that the kidnappers were transferring Rieth from Sibuco town in Zamboanga del Norte.

He said the kidnappers scampered upon seeing the security forces and left behind their captive.

Rieth was held captive for more than 2 months. He was taken from his resthouse at Sitio Parkampo, Barangay Patalon, west of Zamboanga City, on April 4, Easter Sunday. -- reports from RJ Rosalado, ABS-CBN Zamboanga and Noel Alamar, radio dzMM