Authorities commended for nabbing Betti Sy suspect

The arrest of the alleged mastermind in the kidnap-slay of Coca-Cola executive Betti Chua Sy augurs well for country’s peace and order situation this year, President Arroyo said yesterday.

In a statement, Mrs. Arroyo also commended anew National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force chief Angelo Reyes for the arrest of Fernando Niegas in Jaro, Leyte by combined police operatives and Naktaf agents on New Year’s Day.

Niegas was tagged as the mastermind in the kidnapping and killing of Sy, whose death sparked outrage within the Filipino-Chinese community.

Sy was abducted by heavily armed men on Nov. 17 in Quezon City. Her body was found stuffed inside a garbage bag along the sea front in Parañaque City the following day.

"I commend the Naktaf and all its allied units for this latest accomplishment," Mrs. Arroyo said.

"We are also grateful to the ordinary citizens in the community who provided information leading to the arrest of the mastermind behind the kidnapping and murder of Ms. Sy," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said the capture of Niegas has bolstered the public trust in the criminal justice system.

"That the arrest of Fernando Niegas came on New Year’s Day is a sign and an assurance that the country’s peace and order situation will continue to look up in 2004," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo earlier credited Reyes for the safe rescue of two-year-old Gian Jethro Chua.

Chua, who was kidnapped on Dec. 2, was rescued last Tuesday in a joint operation by Naktaf and Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer) from a rented house in Panama Homes Subdivision, Barangay Bukal in Calamba, Laguna.

Two of the suspects were arrested while four of their alleged cohorts were later killed in an alleged shootout with Naktaf operatives.

Mrs. Arroyo also hailed Reyes for fulfilling his promise of a "kidnap-free Christmas" and welcomed his announcement to stay on as Naktaf chief amid invitations for him to run for public office.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the arrest of Niegas adds another feather in the Arroyo administration’s campaign against criminality.

Niegas, listed third in the Naktaf’s 10 most wanted kidnappers, carries a P1-million bounty.

Already stricken off the list was Dr. Roberto Obeles Yap, leader of the Obeles Yap kidnap-for-ransom group, who was killed in an encounter with government forces in Bataan recently. — Marichu Villanueva