Trans woman, ex-soldier held for kidnappings

MANILA, Philippines — A transgender woman and a former Army trooper were arrested on Thursday in connection with separate kidnappings.

The transgender woman, whose real name is Hector Magallanes, was arrested in Taguig, the police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) reported yesterday.

AKG director Brig. Gen. Cosme Abrenica said Magallanes has a warrant of arrest issued by a court in Carmona, Cavite for kidnapping for ransom. No bail was recommended.

Abrenica said Magallanes was part of a gang who kidnapped a 52-year-old Chinese man in General Mariano Alvarez town in March 2021.

The victim was released in the same month after his family in China paid an unspecified amount of ransom money.

Magallanes was reported to be part of the Warla kidnapping syndicate, which had targeted at least 14 foreigners since 2018. The gang received an average of P200,000 to P500,000 from each of the victims, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group reported in 2022.

The CIDG, which arrested eight transgender women who reportedly belonged to the gang, said the suspects amassed P4.2 million from the kidnappings and used the money to fund their sex reassignment surgery.

In Pasig, former soldier Alexander Anobling was apprehended for the kidnapping of a 15-year-old boy in January.

Abrenica said Anobling was apprehended based on a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 11 Judge Jehan Sampac Hassiman, who refused to grant bail.

 Abrenica said Anobling was among the people who kidnapped a boy at Cartimar Shopping Center in Pasay on Jan. 14.

 The victim was brought to Tarlac City, where he was held for ransom. He was rescued by AKG operatives on Jan. 15.

 The suspect was brought to the AKG’s detention facility at Camp Crame for documentation before he was presented to the court to stand trial.