‘Brains’ in Chinoy’s kidnap-slay nabbed

La Trinidad, Benguet — The alleged mastermind in the March 18 kidnap-slaying of a Chinese-Filipino businessman here was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents in Pasay City yesterday morning, sources said.

The sources said Paul Leyaley Sumbad, 28, who had been hiding for almost a month now since authorities named him as the alleged brains in the kidnap-slaying of Senly Loy, was arrested in Pasay City at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday.

Sumbad, a native of Sabangan, Mountain Province, along with Roger Agtulao and seven others, is facing kidnapping charges in Regional Trial Court Branch 62 here.

Earlier reports said Sumbad, a US citizen, returned to the country in the late 90s and set up a gas filling station here.

The National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force tagged him as the one who allegedly financed Loy’s kidnapping, paying for the syndicate’s safehouse on Ambuklao Road in Baguio City.

According to a witness, Sumbad was present when the abductors burned Loy’s body along the Halsema Highway several hours after he was seized.

Loy’s charred remains were found in a shallow grave in Atok, Benguet last May 18, or two months after he was abducted.