Police ensure security of tourists in Banaue

BAGUIO CITY — Police presence in the Ifugao town of Banaue may be beefed up following the arrest of five suspects in the abduction of a German couple and their Filipino driver there last month.

Ifugao Mayor Tito Candelario said he has asked the Philippine National Police to assign additional lawmen in his town to protect tourists.

Police have set up more checkpoints along the highways to prevent similar incidents.

"We have asked the police to beef up their forces not only in central Banaue but also on Mt. Polis, where the abduction allegedly took place. We need police visibility to give confidence to tourists," Candelario said in a statement.

Banaue is home of the world-famous Rice Terraces, and 80 percent of the town’s income comes from tourism. Because of that, Candelario gave assurance that the abduction was the work of outsiders.

"I can assure you that no Banaue resident took part in the kidnapping. That would be like shooting our own foot," he said.

Last April 21, Jose Melo, who works for the German consulate, his wife Claudia and their driver Eduardo Sinco were abducted by 10 armed men while on vacation on Mt. Polis.

Police said Jose was taken to Rizal town in neighboring Kalinga aboard a hijacked Besta van. The van’s driver, Leopoldo Paredes, was shot dead when they got to their destination.

Claudia, on the other hand, was taken to Kalinga aboard a jeepney. The couple was released four days later after paying a P110,000 ransom.

The five suspects were arrested last May 15 in Kalinga, and the police are still hunting down their cohorts, Chief Superintendent George Aliño, regional police director, said.

The arrested gangmen – all from Kalinga – were identified as Clary Agcon, 29; Vicente Baguiwan, 29; Rodentor Butic, 21; Jim Dayagon, 30; and Joey Sannada, 32. They are now facing kidnapping charges.

Still at large are alleged gang leader Robert Dag-o, co-leader Amor Gubiangan, Roy Alcanzarin and a certain Leonard and Tommy.

Aliño said the gang was most likely into robbery and not kidnapping and that it just so happened that they chanced upon the German couple.

After robbing the couple of P30,000 in cash, they decided to hold them hostage when they learned that the couple had more money in their ATM account. Claudia was forced to empty their account, withdrawing P20,000 in four days.

"The (Melos) were only chance victims of the group," Aliño said.