Taguig cops in kidnap for ransom scheme arrested, 1 killed

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested three Taguig cops early Tuesday morning for kidnapping a couple and holding them for ransom.

Another police officer involved in the abduction was killed in the operation.

In a spot report posted by the Southern Police District, through Chief Superintendent Tomas Apolinario Jr., the three arrested cops were identified as:

• PO2 Joey Maru (leader)
• PO1 Bryan Amir Bajoof
• PO1 Paolo Ocampo

The authorities are preparing a complaint of robbery holdup and kidnap for ransom against the three.

Meanwhile, PO1 Gererdo Ancheta was killed during the encounter that happened at Tandem St., Arca South in Western Bicutan, Taguig City at around 3:30 a.m.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by Ronielyn Caraecle, who said that four armed men forcibly entered their residence along Viscara St. in New Lower Bicutan, Taguig at around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The men abducted her and her boyfriend, Samuel (no surname given), and also allegedly took P7,000 in cash, two gold watches and LV wallets.

“We [were] driven around Arca South while being demanded to produce P50,000 in exchange of [our] liberty,” the spot report quoted Craecle as saying.

Caraecle, through her relative, was able to produce P20,000. She was released by her captors to produce the remaining P30,000 while her boyfriend remained with the armed men.

She then sought the assistance of the authorities.

The police said that their initial investigation also found that this is the second illegal operation by the group. Moreen Del Castillo, another victim, also identified the four cops as the armed men who forcibly entered her residence.

The following items were recovered from the group:

• Four pistols with magazines
• Two extra magazines
• P10,600 (cash)
• A Michael Kors gold watch
• Three cellphones
• Illegal drug paraphernalia
• Two sachets of shabu (recovered from the body of PO1 Ancheta)

Apolinario said that initial investigation shows that the group operates in the vicinity of Taguig's Police Community Precinct 1. “But we are still investigating if there is an incident outside Taguig,” the police superintendent added. — Kristine Joy Patag