2 CIDG men nabbed for trader’s abduction

CALACA, Batangas — A member and a civilian agent of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Batangas field office were arrested in Alitagtag town Saturday night after receiving the P120,000 ransom for a businessman and his nephew abducted here last April 22, police said.

Superintendent Ferdinand de Castro, Calaca police chief, identified the two as SPO3 Valeriano Parra, 48, and CIDG civilian agent Gerardo Caisip, 48. A third suspect managed to escape.

The ransom was for businessman Felipe Gatdula and his nephew, Julio Cataquis, 26, who were snatched by 10 men from Gatdula’s garments factory in Barangay 4 Poblacion here.

The kidnappers originally demanded P200,000 ransom, but later agreed to lower the amount to P120,000, De Castro said.

Prior to the pay-off, Gatdula’s family coordinated with the police. Parra and Caisip were collared after receiving the ransom in front of the Alitagtag Catholic Church before midnight Saturday.

Gatdula and his nephew were later separately found, respectively, in Barangays Balagtas and Balete, both in Batangas City. They were in good health.

Seized from Parra and Caisip were a caliber .45 pistol and a 9-mm Berreta, both PNP-issued firearms; a cellphone and a blue Mitsubishi Adventure GLX with an improvised license plate.