Slain DOT exec gets justice after 18 years

MANILA, Philippines - Justice has finally been served to the late tourism undersecretary Jose Clemente, 18 years after he was kidnapped.

The Manila regional trial court recently convicted his kidnappers and sentenced them to life in prison.

Clemente died in 2001 due to kidney problem aggravated by the trauma he suffered during captivity. He had refused to talk to other people and stayed in his room for a month following the kidnapping.

Judge Teresa Soriaso of the Manila RTC Branch 27 found Cornelio Pasco, a fishpond owner; Benjamin de Jesus, a tricycle driver and Maxwell Absis, a fruit vendor, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of kidnapping for ransom and sentenced them to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole.

In the 17-page decision obtained by The STAR, Soriano also ordered the convicts to pay P1 million for civil indemnity, P300,000 for moral damages and P300,000 exemplary damages to the heirs of Clemente.

Two other accused, Pacita Pasco and Leo Ganancial, Clemente’s family driver, were acquitted after the prosecution failed to prove their guilt while the cases against Benjamin de Jesus, Dodong Noble and Victorio Pasco were archived.

The prosecution panel led by Marielle Herrera and Mederlyn Mangalindan successfully established that Clemente was kidnapped on May 14, 1996 at around 9 p.m. on Vito Cruz in Manila by armed men who blocked the path of his vehicle.

Clemente had testified that he was on his way home on board his car driven by Ganancial when they were blocked by four to six armed men. The kidnappers removed his eyeglasses and covered his eyes with masking tape.

The kidnappers demanded ransom of P50 million, but the amount was reduced to P5 million.

The next day at around 3 p.m. or 18 hours after he was taken, the kidnappers dropped him off at the back of a supermarket along EDSA.

During his captivity, Clemente said the kidnappers gave him food but he hardly ate, since he was undergoing treatment for kidney failure and hypertension.

After he was released, Clemente said he underwent post-traumatic treatment.

“Clemente was emphatic that he wanted back his gold and silver Rolex watch, the first watch he ever had in his life and the gold necklace with gold pendant and a souvenir from the mayor of Bethlehem,” the court decision noted.

State witnesses Jose Villaflores and Bernardo Atutubo related to the court what happened, supporting the testimony of Clemente.

Villaflores said Absis, Cornelio and Ganacial got P1 million each, while the other kidnappers’ shares ranged from P20,000 to P800,000.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Director Benjamin Magalong, then head of the Task Force Dragon, coordinated with Clemente’s family, who requested them not to do anything that might endanger the life of the victim.

Magalong and his men raided the rest house of the kidnappers and seized firearms and other items belonging to Clemente.

Magalong’s team arrested the kidnappers one after the other.

Increase in kidnap cases

A source revealed the recent increase of kidnapping incidents, which is very alarming.

The official stressed there should be a special group in the Philippine National Police (PNP) that will focus on kidnapping and how these could be prevented.

“Kidnapping is a heinous crime and causes permanent trauma to victims until they die. It took 18 years and some even longer in promulgating court decisions due to judicial system in the country,” said the source.

The source pointed out the government must work for the two-year period of trial of kidnapping cases.