Cabbie holds passenger's documents for ransom

MANILA, Philippines - A taxi driver was arrested Thursday night for allegedly holding for ransom the papers his passenger left behind.

Acting Makati police chief Superintendent Jaime Santos said businessman Reginald Borela sought their assistance after his employee, Noel Bolda, told him that their company’s important documents, along with his mobile phone, had been left in a taxi.

Bolda told Borela he later tried calling his lost mobile phone and the driver of the cab, later identified as Jinny Ricaplaza, answered it.

According to Bolda, Ricaplaza said the documents are with him and that he will destroy them if he is not paid P7,000 for their return.

Ricaplaza instructed Bolda to meet him at the Cash and Carry mall in Barangay Palanan. It was then at this point that Borela sought police help.

Accompanied by undercover police officers, Borela then met Ricaplaza, who was waiting in the mall. The lawmen arrested Ricaplaza as soon as he received the marked P7,000 from Borela.

Ricaplaza is being detained at the Makati police headquarters as extortion charges are being readied against him.