NBI arrests suspected kidnapper targeting Indians

A former security guard, tagged as a member of a kidnapping group targeting Indian nationals, has been apprehended by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation in Quezon City.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said they have filed robbery/extortion, attempted kidnapping, and usurpation of authority charges against Ian Morin, of Bago Bantay, Quezon City.

His three cohorts — two Indian nationals and a Filipino — remain at large.

Earlier, Indian businessman Davinder Kumar decided to seek the help of the NBI’s Background Investigation Division (BID) after the suspects called him up at least 15 times and threatened him through several text messages.

The suspects had threatened to blow up his house and kidnap his children unless they pay them P1 million.

NBI-BID case officer special investigator Romeo Aradana Jr. said that at around 10 a.m. of Aug. 9, Kumar was in Balara, Quezon City on board his motorcycle, when two men claiming to be police officers flagged him down.

They grabbed him and forced him to board their vehicle.

However, the victim was able to escape by running toward a nearby barangay hall.

After the incident, the Indian started receiving the phone calls and text messages.

The threats lasted for 18 days from Aug. 9 to Aug. 27. The suspects said unless he paid P1 million, they would hurt him and members of his family. After negotiations, the suspects agreed to lower the amount to P150,000.

They arranged a meeting at a fastfood restaurant on Visayas Avenue. The victim’s brother-in-law Shiv Om carried the marked money.

Morin called Om and instructed him to approach a man in a blue shirt and hand the money over to him. Once the transaction was completed, Om gave the prearranged signal and 10 NBI-BID agents approached and apprehended the suspect.

Aradana said Kumar positively identified Morin as one of those who tried to abduct him. "As for the calls, he said there were two people calling him, one appeared to be an Indian national who spoke Punjabi. Morin was the other caller."

The NBI said Morin admitted that two Indian nationals and another Filipino were involved in the attempted abduction.

Drug suspect falls

The NBI also announced the capture of a fugitive Filipino-Chinese national convicted for drug possession and is facing three other drug-related charges.

Supervising agent Antonio Suarez, of the NBI-BID, said they were able to locate the suspect and serve the warrants against Andy Tan Co, who had managed to elude a jail term of five years.

Suarez said they got a break when Co tried to use a fake ATM card bearing one of his aliases, "Andrew David Co," enabling authorities to trace him. He previously used the aliases Andrew Tan Co, Andy Tan, Gregorio Tan and Alex Chan Javier.

In year 2001, Judge Librado Corea, of Pasig City regional trial court (PCRTC) Branch 164, convicted Co for illegal possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. The court sentenced him to a jail term of 12 to 16 years.

NBI-BID head agent Arnold Lazaro said Co is also facing two criminal cases for violating provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act, and one case for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. For the two cases, the prosecutors recommended no bail, NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said.

On Aug. 26, an informant tipped the NBI-BID that Co was sighted near a hotel in Pasay City.

The agents arrested the suspect and brought to the bureau.– With Raisa Austural