Kidnap gang busted

Six people, including three traffic policemen were arrested by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Philippine Airforce for the botched kidnapping and robbery of a Cebu City businessman.

The suspects, presented to reporters yesterday, were identified as Dalmacio Olivar, said to be a police asset, SPO3 Florencio Castillo, PO3 Romeo Capellan, and PO2 Alexander Estrella, all of the Traffic Management Group; and Cesar Agojo and Rolando Macaraig, alias Galman, both formerly with the defunct Philippine Constabulary Criminal Investigation Service.

Investigation showed that the suspects kidnapped and robbed Emiliano Tanpin shortly after he arrived at the Manila Domestic Airport last Tuesday morning.

Tanpin's taxi was blocked along Andrews Avenue by the suspects who were aboard a stolen green Toyota Hi-Ace van with plate number DSF-120.

The suspects, armed with M16 rifles and pistols, snatched the victim from the taxi and forced him into the van. Inside, Tanpin was gagged and handcuffed.

The van sped through Villamor Air Base Gate 2.

PAF police detailed at the gate, upon seeing the armed men, gave chase.

They found the van parked at the old golf course clubhouse. Military policemen arrested Olivar as he alighted from the van. The other suspects managed to escape.

Tanpin was found inside the van, handcuffed and gagged. Also recovered were a baby M16 rifle, an Icom radio, and the victim's black bag containing P4.5 million in local and US currencies, and Tanpin's caliber .45 Remington pistol, a cellular phone and an expired Permit to Carry Firearm Outside of Residence the robbers had taken.

During interrogation, Olivar claimed to be an "asset" working under Chief Inspector Jose Pumida of the TMG's General Services Office in Camp Crame.

Olivar said they received a tip that Tanpin was carrying drugs from Cebu City to Manila. Under questioning, Olivar told probers who his cohorts were and their whereabouts.

Follow-up operations conducted by the CIDG and the PAF in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog resulted in the arrest of the other suspects.

It was later learned that Castillo, Capellan and Estrella were also detailed with the TMG-GSO under Pumida.

Tanpin told police that he heard Olivar calling somebody "sir" over the radio.

This prompted PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson to order Pumida's investigation as a suspect in the case.

"You don't call somebody "sir" not unless he is a superior officer," Lacson said.

Lacson said three more suspects are being tracked down by the CIDG and the PAF.