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Saturday, March 11, 2006
Justice chief tells fiscal: Explain kidnappers' release
CEBU CITY -- Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. ordered Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor Evangeline Gicale to submit and explain all records of the case filed against the four suspected kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) gang members arrested at the Mactan airport last Sunday.
After Assistant Prosecutor Geronima Baring filed usurpation of authority charges against the four men, they each posted P10,000 bail and were released.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) in Central Visayas cannot blame anti-kidnapping crusader Teresita Ang-See for expressing disappointment at the release of suspected KFR group members, but clarified that they had communicated with their counterparts in Manila.
Chief Superintendent Eduardo Gador, PRO director, said they coordinated with the Presidential Anti-Crime Emergency Response (Pacer) and the Directorate for Intelligence and Detection Management.
"Initially, there was no information. It was the group of Ang-See that provided the information. Mao nang suko kaayo sila, but that's understandable (That's why they're so mad)," Gador told reporters.
He admitted that it was too late when they learned of the arrest warrants against the four men because they had already posted bail and were released from jail.
"We tried going after them, but awahi na ang tanan (it was too late)," Gador said.
He said Jessie Rueras Pepino, his brother Ronald Dano Pepino, Richard Gulfan Orayan, and Crisologo Puzon left for Ormoc City that day via Carmen.
He said one of them is from Leyte.
There was information that they were remnants of the Waray-waray KFR group, he said.
Gador also said PO3 Rogelio Baguio is under investigation, as they wanted to find out how well he knows the four men.
But Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Vicente Loot defended Baguio, saying the latter was just complacent and did not suspect anything.
A Cebu City councilor urged authorities to be more vigilant and beef up security measures in all ports following the arrest of suspected kidnappers last Sunday.
In a proposed resolution, Councilor Arsenio Pacaña said law enforcement agencies should double their efforts to ensure that criminal syndicates and kidnap-for-ransom groups will not be able to operate in the city.
Ang-See will come to Cebu on March 17 to give briefings to Cebuano businessmen on how to protect the business industry against kidnap-for-ransom syndicates.
Officers of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry are also planning a meeting with Gador after Go expressed concern over the incident.
Superintendent Jose Cosio of the Police Center for Aviation Security (PCAS) filed two charges against the four suspects, but Assistant Prosecutor Baring, with the approval of City Prosecutor Gicale, rejected the case for illegal possession of firearms.
Cosio said the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office failed to brief them about the two cases during the preliminary investigation.
"The prosecutors should have guided us because they know more about the law," Cosio said in Cebuano.
Gonzalez has ordered Gicale to immediately explain why Baring filed only an usurpation case against the four suspects.
Gonzalez did not give a deadline.
When sought for comment, Baring said she just followed the law.
She said it was clearly stated in Republic Act 8294 that an illegal possession of firearms charge should be filed only when "no other crime was committed by the person arrested."
Baring also cited court jurisprudence similar to the case the four suspects are facing.
The Pepino brothers and Orayna were arrested last Sunday for possessing high-powered firearms, ammunition, and bogus police identification cards and mission orders, which they used to enter the airport.
Puzon was later arrested after he attempted to negotiate the release of his companions at the PCAS office. He was also caught with fake IDs.
Baguio later recognized the four suspects because they had rented his brother's room.
Baguio said he did not think they were up to something illegal because they were kind to his mother and that they brought with them bibles, not guns.
Loot said Baguio mentioned seeing handcuffs and confronted them but they identified themselves as members of the Military Intelligence Group.
This prompted Loot to issue a directive to all his policemen to apprehend all men who claim to be assets of the police, military, or any law enforcement agency who bring firearms.
He said they should only be released if the agency verifies their true identity.
"We can recognize if the person is a police officer. Pero kanang mga agent kunohay, dakpa gyud (But those claiming to be agents, arrest them)" he said. (OCP/MEA/LCR/EOB of Sun.Star Cebu)
(March 11, 2006 issue)
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