"I decided to bring this matter to the media and seek help since our suspect is a member of the Philippine National Police," said Johnny Herman, father of Michael, 28, who along with business partner Jovello del Rosario, 34, disappeared on June 3.
Herman did not elaborate. The police also withheld the policeman’s identity.
Last June 2, Herman recalled that Del Rosario called up his son to inform him that a policeman was interested in buying an Isuzu Crosswind.
Del Rosario and the young Herman agreed to meet with the buyer and the seller in front of the Toyota showroom here at about 4 p.m. the following day.
The two business partners met with three men, believed to be policemen, at the said place. But when Jay Tan, the seller of an Isuzu Crosswind, and his companion, a certain Ricky, arrived, the group was no longer around.
Tan called up Herman’s cellphone and the latter advised him to proceed instead to the Batangas pier for the transaction.
Tan did, but did not find them at the pier. He phoned Herman again, and was told to go to a hollow blocks factory in Barangay Balagtas, also in this city.
Still, Herman’s group was not there. By this time, Herman’s cellphone could no longer be contacted. Nothing was heard about Herman and Del Rosario since then.
"There was no ransom demand or telephone call from them ever since," the elder Herman told The STAR.
Eleven days after their disappearance, a strange development startled their families.
Del Rosario’s wife, Amor, went to a pawnshop in Pateros, where they live, to redeem a piece of jewelry which he had pawned. She was surprised to learn that the jewelry had already been redeemed.
Amor called up the Hermans and they reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame.
Amor told investigators that the papel de agencia was in her husband’s wallet when he disappeared.
In its investigation, the CIDG learned that the man who redeemed the jewelry used a Landbank ATM card which, when checked, turned out to belong to a policeman assigned with the regional police command.
"If they have the pawnshop papers, definitely they knew where my son is," the elder Herman said.