2 lawmen, 2 others charged for kidnap

Charges of kidnapping for ransom have been filed with the Tagaytay City prosecutor’s office against two policemen and two civilians for allegedly abducting three persons in Cavite early this month.

Superintendent Eduardo Ballatan, Tagaytay City police chief, said Inspector George Yllanan, PO1 Noel Villalobos, Mario Abbu and businessman Samsodin Sarif could face the death penalty if they are proven guilty.

Yllanan and Abbu were formerly assigned to the House committee on dangerous drugs, which Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco chairs.

Cuenco said Yllanan and Abbu earlier asked for his recommendations because they had plans to join the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Three other unidentified men were included in the charge sheet.

Ballatan said the four accused allegedly abducted tricycle driver Mario Hernandez last July 2 while inside a friend’s house in Barangay Amuyong in Alfonso, Cavite.

In his sworn statement, Hernandez said he was handcuffed, blindfolded and was forced to lie in a vehicle which investigators later found out to be a Nissan Safari with license plate number GDZ-427.

Hernandez said he sensed that there were two other victims inside the vehicle. They were later identified as brothers Romeo and Tirso Miranda.

The kidnappers contacted Hernandez’s wife, Violeta, who managed to convince them to reduce the amount to P10,000. The payoff was set later that evening in front of the Rojonet Restaurant along the Gen. Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City.

Violeta then sought the help of the Tagaytay City police, which immediately set up an entrapment.

Shortly after the payoff, a brief shootout ensued between the policemen and the kidnappers, which resulted in the arrest of Villalobos and Sarif.

Yllanan and Abbu were later apprehended when Hernandez spotted them at the Tagaytay police station while reportedly visiting Villalobos and Sarif.