Kidnap-slay of millionaire's wife: PNP officer tagged as suspect

CEBU, Philippines - A high-ranking official of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 has been implicated in the kidnap-slay of Leah Angeles Ng, the wife of a millionaire Chinese-Filipino businessman in San Pedro, Laguna, last January 20.

Supt. Rommel Miranda, Deputy Chief of the Communication and Electronics Service (COMEL) of PRO-7, was tagged as among those involved in the crime.

The victim’s decomposing body was found in Laguna last February 23.

PRO-7 Director Marcelo Garbo Jr., who was in Bohol yesterday, confirmed Miranda’s implication in the crime through a phone interview with The FREEMAN. 

Garbo said he only knew of Miranda’s problem after the latter was reassigned to Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Crame for the conduct of an investigation.

“Before hand, alam ko na because we got a message from (Camp) Crame from Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez (PACER commander),” he said.

Before Miranda left last week for Manila, Garbo informed him of his relief from COMEL-7 and his transfer to Camp Crame.

He said Miranda, a former law student from the United States, assured him that he would face the charges lodged against him.

Garbo said that he did not ask any further questions after the officer’s assurance.

“I don’t want to be involved in the investigation because PACER is handling the investigation,” he said.

However, based on reports, Miranda is currently under preliminary investigation at PACER, he added.

Two other police officers are also suspects in the case. They have been identified as PO1s Otelio Santos, Jr. and Jifford Signap.

Both are from the San Pedro Municipal Police Station and are currently absent without official leave.

They were tagged by former policeman Reginal Santiago, who has been arrested in relation to the case.

Santos, Signap and Santiago were caught by a security camera riding Ng’s silver Toyota Prado, which was abandoned at the parking lot of Walter Mart in Carmona, Cavite, said PNP Spokesperson Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz.

Several witnesses have positively identified Santos, Signap and Santiago as the ones who were on board the vehicle when it was brought to the parking lot.

Santiago tagged Miranda as also involved in the case. Miranda was formerly the spokesperson of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

In a statement, Miranda claimed that he was only set up and that he vowed to clear his name.

Ng is the wife of an executive of a big chain of department stores in the country. Santiago led the police to San Vicente village where Ng’s decomposing body had been dumped.

Santiago has been charged before the Department of Justice with kidnapping-for-ransom with homicide and illegal possession of firearms. — (FREEMAN)