THE National Bureau of Investigation yesterday announced that it has filed charges before the Department of Justice against four individuals for alleged involvement in the kidnapping of two Chinese and one Korean in Nasugbu, Batangas last month.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the foreigners were kidnapped on May 2 while en route to a fishing trip in Nasugbu, adding the victims were intercepted at a fake checkpoint set up by the suspects near the Kaybiang Tunnel at the boundary of Cavite and Batangas provinces.
Disguised as law enforcers, Santiago said the suspects abducted the victims under the pretense of conducting a legitimate police operation and held them for ransom.
Santiago said the NBI Organized and Transnational Crimes Division and the PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group took the lead in the investigation until they got a major breakthrough last May 26 with the voluntary surrender of Jomar P. Ubarde at the NBI headquarters in Pasay City.
Ubarde later executed an extrajudicial confession admitting his participation in the “surveillance, coordination, and logistical planning” of the abduction, according to Santiago, and pointed to Danilo L. Abilong as the mastermind and another suspect, John Nelson Ladrera alias “Master.”
This led to the arrest of Abilong, who Santiago said also admitted his role in the crime.
“Abilong recounted being promised financial compensation in exchange for his cooperation in planting a GPS tracking device and monitoring the movements of his employer, one of the eventual victims, under the guise of assisting a law enforcement operation. He also confirmed the involvement of ‘Master,’ who coordinated with the individuals who posed as law enforcement personnel to carry out the abduction,” the NBI chief said.
“The totality of the evidence gathered including sworn statements, call logs, image evidence, corroborative testimonies, and detailed admissions by key participants – establishes probable cause to believe that Jomar P. Ubalde committed acts constituting conspiracy to commit kidnapping for ransom, as defined and penalized under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by R.A. No. 7659, in relation to R.A. No. 9372 or the Human Security Act,” he added.
Abilong was charged with kidnapping for ransom, while Ladrera and a certain “Erick,” who remained at large, were likewise charged for their role in the kidnapping.
The victims were released the next day by the suspects after paying $100,000 in ransom.
Earlier, authorities also apprehended two Chinese for their alleged role in the kidnapping.
The cases – kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms – against the two Chinese suspects, according to Santiago, were filed before the Quezon City regional trial court.
They were arrested last May 7 for illegal possession of firearms at a police checkpoint in Bacoor, Cavite.
The two are detained at the Bacoor City police station.
