|
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
P500T-P1M bounties up for 9 kidnappers' heads
MANILA -- The government took the fight against kidnapping a step further Tuesday by releasing pictures of nine ranking kidnap leaders and offering bounties for their capture, ranging from P500,000 to P1 million.
The release of the pictures came on the same day that unidentified armed men seized a two-year-old Chinese-Filipino boy in Muntinlupa City around 7:30 a.m.
In a news conference Tuesday, Angelo Reyes, chief of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (Naktaf), said the move is aimed at neutralizing the remaining active kidnap groups, which, he said, have become bolder with their notorious activities.
"They (kidnappers) are getting bolder and bolder so we will increase our efforts. We also have to react and respond proactively," Reyes told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.
"Our police forces, our security forces and the Naktaf are on the alert and we are tracking them down. I'd rather not discuss the details of a live kidnapping operation," Reyes said.
In releasing the pictures of known kidnap leaders and members, Reyes said these would be posted, distributed to all airports, seaports, market places and other public areas nationwide, hopefully encouraging "civilians to report any information that will lead to the capture, arrest or neutralization of these people."
High on the list but already stricken off was Dr. Roberto Obeles Yap, leader of the Obeles Yap kidnap-for-ransom group, who was killed in an encounter with government forces in Bataan two weeks ago.
Still in the active list are Harold and Rolando, both surnamed Fajardo, of the Fajardo kidnap group. The Fajardos both carry a P1 million reward for their capture.
Those with P500,000 to P1 million bounties each are Allan Niegas (P1 million) of the Allan Niegas kidnap gang; Vilmor Catamco (P900,000), a member of the Fajardo gang; Dr. Eddie Trinidad (P850,000), also of the Fajardo gang; Jose Lim, Jack Arnuco (P750,000 each) of the Pegardio gang; Renaldo Cacho (P500,000) of the Estrada gang.
Also with a P500,000 reward each are Feliciano Laygo of the Feliciano Laygo group and his member, Jaime Moog.
"Hopefully by doing so (posting of pictures), we will make their lives and movement a little bit difficult. We will try to make their worlds a little bit smaller and we will post these almost everywhere so that the citizenry will have easy access to reference regarding the faces of these criminals," Reyes said.
Apart from having the pictures posted, Reyes said the government would also establish checkpoints within the metropolis, as directed by President Arroyo, soon as the implementing guidelines will be finished.
Earlier, Reyes met with Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Bayani Fernando and the police chiefs of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to discuss the implementing guidelines for the establishment of checkpoints.
On Thursday, Reyes said the President would meet metropolitan mayors to get their views and inputs on the security measures that need to be implemented to address the resurgence of heinous crimes in Manila.
Statistics from the Naktaf showed that from 1998 to 2003, 432 cases of kidnapping have been filed before the proper courts, but only 36 have so far resulted to conviction.
Another victim
On early Thursday, a two-year-old boy was abducted by armed men in Muntinlupa City.
Six gunmen blocked the vehicle carrying the boy and his nanny on their way to a pre-school and dragged him away, police said.
Two-year-old Gian Jethro Chua, son of Henry Chua, was aboard an Isuzu Crosswind vehicle with plate number WEX 326 at about 7:30 a.m. when he was abducted.
Police said the suspects fled toward Susana Heights.
In reaction to the incident, Malacaņang Palace directed the police to go after the kidnappers.
Foreign help
Meanwhile, the Chinese-Filipino community Tuesday called on the government to seek foreign help in the fight against crime syndicates.
Teresita Ang-See, chairman of the Citizens' Action Against Crime, said if the government sought the help of other countries in the hunt for terrorists, it should also be willing to seek assistance to fight kidnap gangs.
"We don't know what else could be done. We have been living in an insane, abnormal life. We worry every time our kids go out to school because we don't know if they would be able to come home safe," Ang-See said.
She said parents have been urging administrators of Chinese schools to set the Christmas holidays earlier for students to stay home.
Members of an elite anti-kidnapping task force, created by President Arroyo, as well as the police and military are tracking down the kidnappers of the boy, a member of the Chinese-Filipino community, said Anti-kidnapping chief Angelo Reyes.
Recent victims include a Chinese-Filipino senior executive of Coca-Cola Philippines, who was found dead a day after she was kidnapped last month.
As this developed, the Manila Cantonese Association (MCA) is planning to close shop and leave the country because of the alarming rate of crimes committed against Chinese-Filipinos.
Peter Fung, MCA president, said its members are waiting for a signal from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCI) to leave.
MCA accused the government of not doing enough to fight criminal syndicates, especially after the killing of Betti Chua-Sy.
Francis Chua, executive vice-president of FCCCI, said the recent mode of kidnapping appears to involve small-time kidnappers.
At present, kidnappers demand and accept ransom as low as P100,000. This operation is faster and no longer involves the police.
Chua said that government should closely look into this problem. This is no longer an election fund raising or destabilization plot but this has something to do with the poor state of the country's economy, Chua said.
(December 3, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
P17M cereal held; barge gets away