THE Court of Appeals has dismissed the appeal of four former Makati police officers and affirmed their conviction for kidnapping for ransom in 2017, an incident that gained attention after they agreed to a “two-gives” ransom payment for the release of the victim.
In a 2-page resolution dated August 12, the appellate court’s Eight Division, through Associate Justice Eleuterio Bathan, upheld its February 14 decision that found Police Officer 2 Harley Garcera, PO2 Clarence Maynes, PO1 Tim Santos, and PO1 Jeffrey Cañete guilty.
In junking their appeal, the appellate court held they raised no new arguments or evidence to warrant a reversal of their conviction.
“Upon a careful deliberation, we find no compelling reason to deviate from our findings, conclusion, and ruling,” the CA said, adding that the arguments they presented in their appeal were just a rehash of previous arguments that were “already considered, discussed, and passed upon in the assailed decision.”
It can be recalled that the four were meted life imprisonment by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court and were also ordered to pay their victim P100,000 in ransom money they extorted, along with P300,000 in civil indemnity and damages.
The case started when a motorcycle shop owner accused the police officers of illegally arresting and forcing him into a vehicle on May 8, 2017.
The victim said he was brought near the Wilcon Depot in Pasong Tamo Extension, where the police officers demanded P400,000 but the amount was reduced after the victim said he could not produce the money.
The victim said he could only provide 100,000 and the four police officers agreed.
But they only released the victim after extracting a promise that he would pay the remaining P300,000 in “two gives.”
