3 cops face kidnap raps

Three Northern Police District (NPD) policemen were charged with kidnapping-for-ransom yesterday by their Manila colleagues following a successful entrapment operation last Friday.

No bail was recommended by the Manila Prosecutor’s Office against Senior Police Officer 1 Felipe Santarinala, 53, Police Officer 2 John Dalunado, 35, and Police Officer 1 Edison Ofilan, 29, and civilian Quirino Asilo, 30, for the kidnaping of confessed drug-user and former overseas Filipino worker Imelda Fragas in front of her house in Tondo, Manila.

Aside from the kidnapping charge punishable by death, the Manila Prosecutor’s Office also approved the filing of robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and violation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban with bail pegged at P100,000, P200,000, and P100,000, respectively against the three suspects.

Based on the investigation by the Manila police, Fragas was abducted by two men at about 3 p.m. last Friday as the victim was entering her house along Laurel street, in Tondo, Manila, who pretended to arrest her.

Later, the abductors called up the family of Fragas and demanded P50,000 for the latter’s liberty.

Police investigators said the ‘arrest’ of Fragas was made on the pretext that she was peddling illegal drugs. Fragas reportedly admitted to being a user but not a pusher.

Fragas alleged that the lawmen also took the P10,000 in her pocket.

Instead of yielding to the ransom demand, the Fragas family sought police assistance and an entrapment was set.

Santarinala was wounded in the operation after the operatives opened fire at his L-300 van while he was trying to escape with their kidnap victim. – Jose Aravilla