PNP CHIEF Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil yesterday said investigators are looking into the involvement of four policemen, recently arrested for kidnapping foreign tourists in Pasay City, in four similar kidnapping cases.
In a radio interview, Marbil noted the modus operandi of the four policemen, led by Maj. Maj. Christel Carlo Villanueva, during the June 3 kidnapping in Pasay City was similar to the four unresolved kidnapping cases.
Marbil also implied that probers have identified the mastermind, who he said has been posing as a staff from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
“This civilian is claiming to be from the immigration (bureau)… He has financial capabilities so he is providing (the needs in the conduct of kidnapping operation),” he said.
“We checked with the immigration, there is no (employee) there with that name. He might be with immigration before but he is not with the immigration at present,” he said.
On the possible links of the four arrested policemen to four unsolved kidnapping cases, Marbil said “the suspects used the same modus operandi.”
“We are trying to locate the victims to help us identify the people involved,” he added.
In the Sunday kidnapping, the four policemen blocked the path of the car of the victims along Taft Avenue in Pasay City, using a PNP motorcycle. They then mauled the victims and forced them into a van with blinkers.
Two of the four foreign tourists, Chinese nationals Yang Zhuan, 31 and Meng Zhao, 29 managed to escape, while Chinese Zhi Yi Zuan, 32 and Malaysian Tang Heng Fei, 25, were released after payment of P2.5 million in ransom.
The involvement of Villanueva and the three other policemen – Senior Master Sgt. Angelito David, M/Sgt Ricky Tabora, and Staff/Sgt Ralph Tumangil — was established through CCTV footage. They were asked to report to the Pasay City later on Sunday and were placed under arrest.
The four, along with 10 other cohorts (including John Does), were charged with kidnapping for ransom, robbery and carnapping before the Pasay City prosecutors office last Monday.
