Quezon City anti-drug cops eyed in failed kidnap try on Indian

MANILA, Philippines - The Southern Police District (SPD) is reportedly investigating police officers from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) anti-drug unit for their alleged involvement in a failed attempt to kidnap an Indian man in Pasay City on Dec. 20, 2010.

Those who tried to kidnap James Khumar identified themselves as policemen and records show only the QCPD’s anti-drug unit coordinated with the SPD to stage an operation in Pasay on that day.

“We are building up a case against the QCPD policemen. Once we have gathered enough evidence, we will file charges in court,” said a ranking SPD official, who requested anonymity.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele welcomed the SPD investigation of his men. “We will cooperate fully. I will present my men to their probe body once they are needed,” Mantele told The STAR.

Mantele said he and SPD director Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos vowed there would be no “whitewash” in the investigation of Khumar’s failed kidnapping.

Records show the QCPD anti-drug unit’s members were in several vehicles for the Pasay operation, but the names of the vehicles’ occupants were not mentioned in the coordination papers signed by Senior Superintendent Benjamin Magalong, QCPD deputy director for administration.

Khumar, president of the Khalsadiwan Indian Sect Temple in Manila, along with two associates – Andy Bryan Ngie, 29, and Ferdinand Sales – were on their way to the Pasay City police headquarters when they were caught in a traffic jam along Harrison Avenue last Dec. 20.

Khumar, who had been kidnapped before, and his associates had just come from the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame to follow up on leads on his kidnappers.

Reports reaching De los Santos showed that several armed men surrounded Ngie’s Mazda Friendee van (BDM-479), but Khumar managed to get out and seek the help of Senior Inspector Renato Apolinario of the Pasay City police inspectorate office.

Khumar said one of the armed men introduced himself as a policeman. When Apolinario refused to turn over Khumar to the armed men, one of them shot at Apolinario, triggering a firefight.

Khumar was wounded in the right shoulder while Apolinario sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses claimed that the armed men commandeered Ngie’s van and sped off. Ngie and Sales remain missing.

Chief Inspector Edwin Faycho, head of the QCPD anti-drug unit, admitted that his men were in 11 vehicles for the Pasay operation, though he did not join them.

Faycho said he talked to his men involved in the operation and they vehemently denied any involvement in the failed kidnap try on Khumar.

Magalong provided SPD investigators colored photographs of QCPD anti-drug personnel for identification by Khumar and Apolinario.

A witness, Mary Jane Combis, was shown the pictures but she could not recall any of the police officers being present during the incident.