2 Laguna rookie cops tagged in trader's kidnap-slay yield

MANILA, Philippines - Two rookie policemen from San Pedro, Laguna, who were implicated in the kidnapping and killing of a businesswoman whose body was found in a septic tank in an abandoned warehouse in Laguna, surrendered yesterday afternoon.

PO1s Otelio Santos Jr. and Jifford Signap, who were in police uniforms, turned themselves in to Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Laguna provincial director.

Cruz said the two denied having something to do with the kidnap-slay of businesswoman Leah Ng, whose body was found in the septic tank last Feb. 23.

Superintendent Rommel Miranda, former NCRPO spokesman and now the deputy chief of the Communication and Electronics Service of the Region 7 police based in Cebu City, was also linked to the kidnap-slay. He denied his role in the kidnap-slay and vowed to clear his name.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima yesterday directed the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation into the kidnap-slay after a closed-door meeting with Ng’s husband and brother in her office.

In his testimony to the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), principal respondent Reginal Regidor Santiago, 39, detailed what had happened from Jan. 20, the day Ng was last seen alive in Quezon City.

Santiago was presented to the Department of Justice for inquest proceedings last Feb. 23. On the same day, he led police to the abandoned warehouse where Ng’s decomposing body was found in a septic tank.

Santiago has been charged with kidnapping with homicide and illegal possession of firearms.

AKG chief Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez said they were coordinating with the DOJ on the possibility of making Santiago a state witness.  

Santos and Signap alleged they were hired to accompany Ng as she collected payments of debts from her clients.

They alleged it was Santiago and Miranda who rode with Ng in her Toyota Prado while they drove closely behind on Santiago’s car.

When they reached the warehouse, they said Ng was already dead. – With Edu Punay, Cecille Suerte Felipe