PNP News Releases 2005

PRESS STATEMENT OF POLICE DIRECTOR GENERAL ARTURO C LOMIBAO
AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PGMA

THIS IS INDEED A MOST MEANINGFUL AND SIGNIFICANT WAY TO KICK-OFF THE NATIONWIDE OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION WEEK.

AT AROUND 7:30 PM LAST WEDNESDAY, OPERATIVES OF THE NATIONAL ANTI-KIDNAPPING TASK FORCE AND POLICE ANTI-CRIME AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE CONDUCTED RESCUE OPERATIONS AT PEÑAFRANCIA, BARANGAY PAYATAS-B IN QUEZON CITY THAT RESULTED IN THE SAFE RECOVERY OF 11-YEAR-OLD TWIN BROTHERS JIN RITZ AND KLEVYELT SERMONIA , THEIR 9-YEAR OLD SISTER VINZ , AND THEIR NANNY, EULALIA CUEVAS , 60 YEARS OLD.

THE FOUR WERE KIDNAPPED THE DAY BEFORE, ON AUGUST 30, AT ABOUT 6:30 AM IN THE VICINITY OF MILLER ST. , FILINVEST SUBDIVISION, ALSO IN QUEZON CITY

THE POLICE OPERATION ALSO RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF THREE SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF THE KIDNAPPING SYNDICATE:

CRISPIN ARANETA Y PELAEZ, 24 YEARS OLD, OF POTOTAN, ILOILO ;

ANABELLE OLIDAN Y ARANETA, 31 YEARS OLD, OF POTOTAN, ILOILO ; AND

BENJAMIN OLIDAN Y FERNANDEZ, 30 YEARS OLD, OF CARIGARA, LEYTE . THEY ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE WATCHERS OF THE KIDNAPPING VICTIMS.

AT ABOUT 7:45 PM OF THE SAME DATE, ANOTHER POLICE OPERATION IN LOWER BICUTAN, TAGUIG CITY RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF THREE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP. THEY ARE:

PO1 ANTONIO CASTILLO Y DOMINGO, 33 YEARS OLD, NATIVE OF BANLACONG, ILAGAN, ISABELA, AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PNP ASSIGNED WITH THE AVIATION SECURITY GROUP;

GODOFREDO NAVANES Y LORIZO, 39 YEARS OLD, OF AJUY, ILOILO ; AND

LYNFER BICUDO Y BAYLON, 39 YEARS OLD, OF DINGLE, ILOILO .

YESTERDAY, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, ANOTHER SUSPECT, PO1 JOSE LONMAR SAPATOS , A MEMBER OF THE 3 RD BN OF THE PNP SPECIAL ACTION FORCE, SURRENDERED TO PACER.

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE ALSO RECOVERED:

•  ONE MAROON NISSAN URVAN WITHOUT PLATE NUMBER;

•  ONE 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN WITH FIVE LIVE AMMUNITION;

•  ONE CAL. 38 SMITH AND WESSON #120245 WITH SIX LIVE AMMUNITION; AND

•  ONE PNP ID IN THE NAME OF PO1 ANTONIO DOMINGO CASTILLO.

OUR INVESTIGATION OF THE SUSPECTS REVEALED THAT THEY ARE REMNANTS OF AN ILONGGO KIDNAP-FOR-RANSOM GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABDUCTION OF JETHRO CHUA AND JOSHUA CANCIO ON DECEMBER 2 AND SEPTEMBER 26, 2003, RESPECTIVELY.

WE HAVE FILED A CASE FOR VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 267 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE, SPECIFICALLY KIDNAPPING-FOR-RANSOM AND ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS , AGAINST THE SUSPECTS BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

MADAM PRESIDENT, THE NAKTF AND THE PNP ARE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE ALERT AGAINST ANY FURTHER INCREASE IN KIDNAPPING CASES.

I WISH TO REASSURE OUR PEOPLE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO FIGHT CRIME AND TERRORISM AND THIS RECENT OPERATION TO RESCUE THE FOUR KIDNAP VICTIMS ATTESTS TO OUR DETERMINATION TO STOP CRIME AND MAINTAIN PEACE AND ORDER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

HANK YOU VERY MUCH MADAME PRESIDENT.