NBI to probe 4 suspected kidnappers

Justice secretary Raul Gonzales has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to ascertain the motives of the four suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom group arrested at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport two weeks ago.

NBI regional director Medardo de Lemos said that until now the motive has not been established why Jessie Pepino, his brother Ronald, Richard Gulfan Orayan and Crisologo Puzon were at the airport last March 3 with high-powered firearms.

There are suspicions that they were hired to kill a cabinet official who arrived at the airport that day.

Defense secretary Avelino Cruz arrived at the Mactan airport when the four were arrested by joint elements of the Military Intelligence Group and Police Center for Aviation Security for illegal possession of firearms.

Another suspicion was that the group is out to kidnap somebody at the airport. This suspicion was bolstered when the police was able to trace that one of the four suspects actually had a pending warrant of arrest for kidnapping.

However, De Lemos said they could not validate these information because the suspects were freed after posting P10,000 bail each for charges of usurpation of authority filed by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office against them in court.

The investigation of the police based on the evidence they recovered from the alleged hideouts of the suspects would point that they are really engaged in kidnapping activity. But, De Lemos said this is yet to be proven because there is no reported kidnapping in Cebu.

Meanwhile, Lapu-Lapu City prosecutor Evangeline Gicale is expected to be called for a meeting by Gonzales today to ask her to explain why she dropped the illegal possession charges against the four suspects and filed only a usurpation of authority against them.

Gonzales will be in Cebu today to attend in the full cabinet meeting with President Gloria Arroyo at the Malacañang sa Sugbo this afternoon.

Gonzales was earlier reported to have ordered Gicale to explain why she did not file the illegal possession of firearms charges against them. Gicale earlier explained that based on the existing law charges of illegal possession could only be filed if there is no other crime committed by the suspects.