Kidnappings under control, Reyes says

The government has not wavered in its campaign against kidnap-for-ransom syndicates as agents of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) launched rescue operations for two Chinese-Filipinos abducted in Cavite last Saturday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, who is concurrent NAKTF chief, said the government is on top of the kidnapping situation following the arrest and neutralization of 135 suspects in the past nine months.

Reyes issued the statement as he announced yesterday the arrest of Cezar Olympiada, an alleged member of the notorious "P50-Million" kidnap-for-ransom group operating in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon.

Reyes said Olympiada is wanted for the kidnapping of Mary Grace Cheng Rosales, daughter of the owner of Uratex foam company.

"Olympiada was arrested by joint elements of NAKTF and Batangas provincial police," he said.

Reyes said Olympiada managed to elude arrest by changing his residence often until he was captured at his supposed hideout in Mataas na Pulo in Tanauan.

Meanwhile, Reyes said NAKTF is launching a "rescue operation" for the safe recovery of brothers Richard and Jose Ngo who were abducted by unidentified men at noon last Saturday while on board their Mitsubishi Pajero in Capipisa Village in Tanza, Cavite.

Authorities confirmed the incident after one of the Ngo brothers, Patterson, was able to escape. A certain Jun Ranora, an employee of Patterson, relayed the information and sought police assistance.

Reyes said the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer) tried to coordinate their efforts with the family who reportedly refused to cooperate.

The DILG chief, however, could not elaborate on what he called a "live case."

Reyes also presented before the media yesterday five agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and a fireman, all facing kidnapping, robbery and extortion charges.

The five suspects identified as PDEA agents Elmer Avancena, Jaime Procopio, Eric Nazareno, Gil Grefaldo, Nolasco Taytay and fireman Generoso Jaymalin of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping of Rizaldo Policarpio in Makati City last Aug. 1.

The suspects were nabbed in an entrapment operation set up by joint NAKTF and Anti-Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AID-SOTF), Reyes said.

The supposed leader of the group identified as Tony Jabalo was able to elude arrest, Reyes added.

Reyes said the suspects brought the victim to the parking lot near the PDEA office near the Rizal Football Stadium in Malate, Manila, detaining him inside a government vehicle.

The suspects allegedly demanded ransom from the victim’s family.

Reyes said the suspects agreed to release Policarpio after receiving P4,000 from his father as "advance payment" of the ransom.

The Policarpios then reported the kidnapping to the AID-SOTF, which coordinated with NAKTF leading to the arrest of the suspects.

The suspects had agreed to meet the victim’s father somewhere along Evangelista street to get the balance of the ransom, Reyes said.

Arresting lawmen were able to seize P6,000 from the suspects, which amount was part of the ransom money, and several firearms.

Reyes said NAKTF has so far neutralized 14 out of the 25 most wanted kidnappers in their rogue’s gallery.

"We must see to the bigger picture... (the campaign against kidnapping) is being waged relentlessly," he said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) recently reported 93 percent solution efficiency on kidnap-for-ransom cases for the past six months of this year to the same period last year.

The PNP’s Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management recorded 43 kidnapping cases for 2003 to 20 incidents from January to June of this year.

Even after his appointment as DILG chief, Reyes still heads NAKTF which has scored major victories in President Arroyo’s ongoing crackdown on kidnappings-for-ransom with the arrest of several top kidnap gang men.

Mrs. Arroyo appointed Reyes to the helm of DILG last July 6 following the resignation of Jose Lina Jr.

Reyes once served as defense secretary before he headed NAKTF, formed in 2003 to stop a kidnapping wave that Mrs. Arroyo said could threaten to undermine the country’s economic recovery efforts.

Kidnapping for ransom remains a huge problem in the country, prompting the creation of the NAKTF.

The special task force accounted for the neutralization of 118 kidnap gang leaders and members, including 12 on the PNP’s list of most wanted kidnappers. Of this total, 96 were caught and nine surrendered.

The President noted that the anti-kidnapping campaign waged by the government through the combined efforts of the NAKTF in tapping the media had been successful.