Pangasinan politicians' kin tagged as kidnappers' coddler

DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines   – The chief of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) has tagged a certain “Doc,” who belongs to a political clan in Pangasinan, as coddler of the five suspected members of a kidnapping and robbery-holdup syndicate who were slain in a shootout with policemen and soldiers here before dawn last Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez told The STAR that “Doc,” whose relatives are into politics, is now the subject of PACER’s intense investigation.

“He might have been attracted to join politics, too, and maybe he is gathering money for his candidacy,” he said, adding that “Doc” was the one who pinpointed possible victims of the syndicate. 

“Those coddling criminals must also be taught their lessons,” he said.

The slain suspects reportedly belonged to a group of hardened criminals believed responsible for a string of kidnappings and armed robberies in central and northern Luzon since 2007.

Police identified those killed in the shootout on De Venecia Highway extension here as Elisco Emuslan, 34; Jesus Matienzo Jr., 40; Joey Tindugan, 34; Glenn Ares, 37; and Edgardo Estrella, 39.

Nerez said some of them got training as Scout Rangers.

The five slain suspects fired at policemen who tried to flag them down at a checkpoint, as they were spotted using a stolen vehicle. 

In a report to Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, Nerez said the syndicate’s activities first came to the attention of authorities in October 2007 when they abducted two teenage sisters in Dagupan City and demanded ransom.

A wealthy businessman in Dagupan City would have been the gang’s latest kidnap victim had police failed to intercept the suspects who had already been under close surveillance since May.

“This neutralization of a well-armed criminal syndicate is one more example of what can be accomplished through inter-agency cooperation, well-coordinated operation and teamwork among law enforcement units,” Verzosa said.