Amid successful war vs KFR gangs

THE Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) headed by Brigadier General Rudolph B. Dimas is marking its 10th founding anniversary today, Thursday, Feb. 24, amid its success in arresting kidnapping-for-ransom (KFR) gangs in the country and sending more arrested kidnappers to jail, of whom five were sentenced to life imprisonment by a Manila court last week.

This Thursday afternoon, PNP chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos will lead the PNP-AKG anniversary rites by honoring its officers, men as well as other private individuals who have contributed to the successful missions of the unit last year, specifically in convicting over 20 suspects for involvement in the heinous crime of kidnapping.

The awardees include Colonel Renato B. Ocampo, Major Ryan Jay R. Capurcos, Police Chief Master Sergeant Reynante F. Manalo, Staff Sgt. Jose Cristobal E. Ostria, Major Vicky P. Pabula, Captain Benito P. Peralta Jr., Major Mario M. Formento, Lieutenant Col. Jaymar B. Marbella, Maj. Eleonor N. Villarus, Maj. Cesar G. Nuñez Jr., Capt. Mark Anthony D. Sarno, Lt. Zosimo C. Ravanes Jr., Chief MSgt. Ambrocio B. Balubal, MSgt. Clodie P. Bequilla, MSgt Jonathan E. Ososa, Chief MSgt. Bernison O. Marrero, SSgt. Ladilyn D. Cherwaken, Corporal Roselle C. Garciano, MSgt. Michael A. Natividad and MSgt. Jonard C. Cumahig.

Col. Ocampo was named the AKG Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer of the Year while Maj. Capurcos is the Best Junior PCO. PCMS Manalo is the Best Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer and SSgt. Ostria is the Best Junior PNCO of the Year.

The other AKG officers and men will receive plaques of recognition for topping other nominees in the fields of administration, intelligence, operations, negotiation, police-community relations, tactical operations and manhunt, said Brig. Gen. Dimas of PNP Academy Class 1992.

The PNP-AKG Advisory Group headed by Professor Ma. Liana Barro, the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order headed by Ms. Teresita Ang-See and Architect Ka Kuen Chua and Department of Justice Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas will also be honored by the unit.

PNP-AKG records showed that from January 1 to December 31, 2021, the unit investigated 23 KFR cases, 12 POGO-related kidnapping cases and five hoax or fake kidnapping incidents.

Brig. Gen. Dimas said they filed 22 criminal charges for KFR against arrested kidnappers and also hauled to jail two for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 as well as another man who was wanted for direct assault upon a person of authority with attempted homicide.

The official said that last year saw the promulgation of three KFR with serious illegal detention cases leading to the conviction of 16 arrested suspects.

Dimas said their intensified manhunt operations in 2021 led to the arrest of 45 wanted kidnappers; 16 for involvement in POGO-related kidnapping cases; and 281 persons who are the subject of various warrants of arrest in line with the instruction of Gen. Carlos to account for all wanted persons across the country.

PNP-AKG operatives also shot dead seven heavily-armed kidnapping suspects following gunbattles and put to jail 33 men accused of involvement in KFR incidents. Another three armed suspects were killed in firefights with AKG agents out to arrest them.

According to Brig. Gen. Dimas, the operations led to the seizure of 74 loose firearms, 581 assorted live ammunition and seven explosives.

As of press time, he said that they are hot on the trail of at least 98 known members of 11 KFR gangs operating in Luzon. In coordination with other PNP territorial and national operational support units and the Armed Forces, the PNP-AKG is also tracking down some 483 identified members of 13 KFR gangs based in Mindanao including those from the Abu Sayyaf Group.

CONVICTION OF 5 YOUNG STUDENTS ANOTHER FEATHER ON THE CAP OF PNP-AKG

The conviction of five young men arrested by agents of the PNP-AKG for kidnapping a young student and demanding a P30 million ransom for his release in August 2018 last week also cemented the unit’s success in sending kidnappers to jail.

Last February 16, the five identified as Ferdinand dela Vega Jr, Justine Mahipus, Ralph Emanuel Camaya, Billy Rocillo and Gabriel Rabi were convicted for KFR and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code and were sentenced to life in prison by a Manila court which found them guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

Judge Marlo Alagar of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 found the accused guilty for kidnapping Denzhel Gomez, then a student of Colegio de San Juan de Letran on August 1, 2018 and sentenced them to suffer reclusion perpetua as well as pay civil damages to the victim’s family.

Considered as the youngest members of a kidnapping group since they are all in their early 20s, all five were former students of the same school who conspired in abducting the victim and then called the latter’s father Aldrich to demand a whopping P30 million ransom for the victim’s safe release, the court said.

Records showed the elder Gomez immediately reported the incident to the PNP-AKG whose men immediately launched an investigation into the incident.

Dimas said his investigators negotiated with Atabay who acted in behalf of his fellows. During negotiations, Dimas bared that the suspect was discovered to be one of the kidnappers leading to a rescue operation.

The victim was rescued by PNP-AKG agents inside the kidnappers’ safehouse located on 285 Nava Street in Barangay 132, Zone II, District I in Balut, Tondo.

During questioning, Mahipus confessed his knowledge on the circumstances regarding the kidnapping of Gomez and pinpointed Atabay as the ‘brains’ behind the abduction.

In his extra-judicial confession, Mahipus also identified the other accused leading to their arrest.

In their defense, the accused raised the ‘defense of alibi’ in denying their knowledge of the kidnapping. They also argued that the victim was undergoing initiation as a requirement for his membership in their fraternity although the court did not believe them.

Architect Ka Kuen T. Chua thanked the PNP-AKG and DOJ Deputy State Prosecutor Torrevillas for fully partnering with them and the victim’s family to ensure the successful prosecution of the suspects.

“Crime does not pay. As the saying goes, evil triumphs if good men do nothing,” the MRPO chairman said.

The MRPO founded by Ms. Ang See supported the Gomez family from the day they learned of his kidnapping until he was rescued and his abductors arrested, jailed and prosecuted to the hilt.

According to the MRPO chairperson, they saw to it that the family were given valuable inputs during the negotiation and subsequent counseling which convinced them to file a case against the suspects.

The MRPO is known for convincing KFR victims in the country to ‘show their faces’ and be unafraid in testifying against their abductors since the law is always on their side.