Kidnapped Batangas surgeon released

SAN JOSE, Batangas — Held captive for 13 days, a heart surgeon and feedmill owner was finally freed by his kidnappers yesterday morning after his family paid ransom, police said.

Elements of the provincial police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) fetched Dr. Arturo Boa from the St. Cabrini Hospital in Sto. Tomas town, Chief Inspector Ruel Esparas, this town’s police chief, reported to Superintendent Rolando Lorenzo, provincial police director.

Boa could not pinpoint the exact place where his abductors released him, saying he was blindfolded. He took a bus from there and arrived in Sto. Tomas at 4:45 a.m. He then called up his wife, Aida.

Reports said Boa’s family paid ransom twice to the kidnappers. The first payoff was on Jan. 25 at the Susana Heights toll exit in Muntinlupa. But the surgeon was not released and the kidnappers demanded an additional ransom.

Sources said Boa’s family could not do anything but comply with the kidnappers’ demand.

"The authorities could not take any unnecessary steps on the payoff that could compromise the safety of the victim," Lorenzo said.

"But this is only the start of our operations. We will get (the kidnappers) soon," he added.

The kidnappers initially demanded a P10-million ransom but later reduced it to P2 million.

Boa visibly lost weight during his two-week ordeal. He said he was fed sardines and corned beef, and could not take a bath often."

"Dahil sa naranasan ko, nanaisin ko pang hindi na ipinanganak kung mararanasan ko pa ito muli (Because of what I experienced, I would rather not be born if this would happen again)," he said.

Boa said he could not identify his kidnappers because they were wearing ski masks all the time.

"But they allowed me to call my wife using my cell phone," he said.

Boa believes his kidnappers were amateurs, citing their hiding place and the way they handled him. He did not elaborate.

He said he overheard them as saying that they placed him under surveillance for one month before they pulled off the abduction.

Police presented Boa to San Jose Mayor Ruben Guce yesterday. "I’m glad that this is over. I’m commending the whole police force for his safe release," Guce said.

Boa, together with his wife, was snatched here after visiting their poultry farm. She was later dumped in Barangay San Sebastian in Lipa City.

Meanwhile, in Bulacan, the body of a businessman, who was abducted in August last year, was fished out of the Angat River last Tuesday, police said.

Police said the victim, Benjamin Fajardo, 75, and his driver, Jerry del Rosario, were snatched by ski mask-wearing men in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. Del Rosario was later released and he informed Fajardo’s family about the incident.

Since then, Fajardo’s family had no word about his fate, having received no calls from his kidnappers. — With Ric Sapnu