EDITORIAL - Missing ransom

There could be a reasonable explanation for the disappearance of five Manila policemen following the arrest last March 7 of the kidnappers of a Malaysian businessman. But for now, with flight usually associated with guilt, the five are suspected to have pocketed P12.1 million out of P16.3 million paid by businessman Eric Sim Chin Tong to his kidnappers.

The five reported to their superior officer that they recovered a ransom of P4.2 million, a day after arresting alleged kidnapping mastermind Marlon Lopera and another suspect. But the victim said he paid P16.3 million to his kidnappers. A manhunt has been launched for the five cops: Senior Inspector Peter Nerviza, SPO4 Ernesto Peralta, PO3 Mike Ongpauco, PO3 Jefferson Britanico and PO1 Rommel Ocampo, all of the Manila Police District’s station in Ermita.

It’s not the first time that ransom money has disappeared from police custody. The five cops at least reported recovering a portion of the money. There have been other cases wherein the ransom paid did not match the amount reported to have been recovered by police rescuers. And the problem is not unique to the police. No one knows what happened to the estimated $30 million collected by Abu Sayyaf bandits led by the late Ghalib “Commander Robot” Andang from captives that included foreigners, Filipino tourists and journalists covering the group’s kidnapping spree. The widespread speculation at the time was that local government and military officials in Sulu as well as a national government official had a substantial share in Andang’s earnings.

And it’s not just money that disappears. Prohibited drugs confiscated during raids are pilfered even while in transit to a police station. Even cars impounded as evidence can disappear from police custody or are used by cops for personal purposes.

The leadership of the Philippine National Police should deal with the case of the missing P12.1-million ransom in a way that will discourage the pilferage of anything that is recovered or confiscated in the course of a police operation. Such cases further erode public trust in an organization that continues to suffer from public perceptions that some of its members are no better than the criminals they catch.