8 get life for kidnap of bank exec

MANILA, Philippines — A Quezon City court has sentenced eight people to life in prison for kidnapping a Philippine National Bank (PNB) executive in 2008.

In a 16-page ruling dated Feb. 17, Judge Evangeline Castillo-Marigomen of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 101 found Florentino Amolo, Arnold Aquino, Reggie Reyes, Edgardo Hernandez, Melchor Herrera, Nino Carangan, Reynante Alcazar and Jocelyn Ferolino guilty of kidnapping.

They conspired in kidnapping PNB executive Ramon Murillo in Quezon City on June 3, 2008, the court ruled.

The court ordered them to pay the victim P450,000 each in civil, moral and exemplary damages as well as a portion of the unrecovered ransom money.

The ninth accused, Alven Lacandazo, pleaded guilty as an accomplice on Dec. 12, 2024.

Lacandazo was re-arraigned and sentenced by the court to up to 20 years in prison.

The Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order founded by Teresita Ang-See assisted Murillo during his quest for justice.

Murillo was blindfolded and taken to an unknown hideout where he was held captive for three days until his family paid P1 million in exchange for his release.

The kidnappers initially demanded P15 million, which was lowered to P1 million.

The payoff took place in Pasay City on June 6, 2008.

Police recovered P850,000 of the ransom as well as firearms and vehicles from Murillo’s kidnappers.