MANILA – The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced to reclusion perpetua five Pasay City police officers for kidnapping an alleged drug suspect and demanding a ransom of PHP100,000 three years ago.
The 51-page decision of the Makati RTC Branch 148 that was released Friday imposed a jail sentence of 20 years to 40 years on Insp. Ronaldo Frades, S/Sgt. Rigor Octaviano, PO1 Anthony Fernandez, PO1 John Mark Cruz, and PO2 Sajid Nasser.
The five, who were with Pasay’s Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) and not wearing their uniforms at the time of the incident, abducted Jorge Revilla on the morning of March 5, 2019 along Bautista Street in Makati City.
Revilla was taken to the Pasay SDEU office and, later that night, was allowed to make a video call to his partner whom he asked to come up with PHP100,000 for his release.
The partner sought the help of the Philippine National Police Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) in Camp Crame, which organized an entrapment operation.
“(I)n asserting alibi, all accused nonetheless failed to present evidence to suggest that they were of such distance from the place of the commission of the offense that it would have been impossible for them to have participated therein,” read the decision, which also noted that the witnesses’ testimonies were “credible” and “consistent in all material respects.”
Aside from the prison sentence, the Makati court ordered the accused to restitute the CITF the PHP100,000 used as boodle money and indemnify the victim PHP50,000.
The arrest was not recorded in the police blotter and the suspect has not been involved in any drug case.
The incident led to the sacking of the entire anti-drug enforcement unit of the Pasay City Police, the relief of then-chief Col. Noel Flores, and the dismissal from service of the five for robbery, graft, and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. (PNA)
