Tom suspects "powerful" men behind suspected kidnappers

The story behind the arrest of the four suspected kidnappers at the Mactan airport last March 5 and their subsequent release on bail two days after has prompted Mayor Tomas Osmeña to suspect that "somebody in power" and "with experience" may behind them.

Osmeña, who earlier put up a P50,000 reward to anyone who could provide authorities vital details about the suspects, yesterday said his suspicion was "speculative" but the fake ID cards, a mission order, and firearms in possession of the suspects led him to believe that people in authority might have supported them.

"I'm sure there are some locals but I'm sure there are higher-ups also," Osmeña said yesterday, adding that the reward money was not given yet to anybody while the pieces of the puzzle are being put together.

The mayor said he already asked the National Bureau of Investigation to "review every step of the way," including assessment of statements issued by the police. He also wondered why the police failed to see that one of the suspects had an arrest warrant for kidnapping in another region.

The four suspects were Richard Orayan, Ronald Pepino, Crisologo Puzon, and Jessie Pepino-all of whom were earlier believed as members of the Waray Waray Kidnap for Ransom Group, based in Leyte province.

At the time of their arrest, the police seized from their possession assorted firearms and ammunitions but they were only charged of usurpation of authority, enabling them to post a P10,000 bail each.

Eventually, they were released but other people and groups cried foul over such treatment of the suspects, citing that Jessie even had a pending arrest warrant for kidnapping.

While there is no proof yet linking the suspects to kidnapping activities here, the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Branch raided a second hideout of the suspects at another sitio in barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City.

The suspects rented a house, at P12,000 a month, owned by Sharon Baligasa, of Dipolog City, who was not around at the time of the raid.

Alfred Briones, caretaker of the house, told the police he could only identify Jessie, who introduced himself as Engineer Boyet Gonzales, a contractor.

PIIB chief, Supt. Juanito Enguerra said his men found inside the house eight plate numbers of vehicles, police uniforms and badges without serial numbers, personal items, a masking tape, TV set, a bonnet and a rolled hankie, and a dog chain, among others.

The CIIB last March 8 found the suspects' first hideout or house they also rented from Janette Baguio at sitio Pinalumsan also in barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City. It was reportedly the place where they stayed before their arrest.

Enguerra however said the recovered items could not pin the suspects down to any kidnapping activity or if they already had a victim before they were sighted and arrested at the airport.

Police regional director Eduardo Gador himself said the police would still look deeper into the gathered items and examine if the suspects can be linked to kidnapping.

Gador said that, after the suspects post bail, their whereabouts could no longer be ascertained but the latest information the police got hold of was that they might be in Ormoc City already.

Gador said the four could be members of an organized group and their arrests at the airport might have bungled a possible plan to kidnap somebody in Cebu City. Members of the business sector here should give the police any news of a kidnap victim the past days, said Gador.

Governor Gwen Garcia, for her part, lamented that the police did not inform her officially on the incident, considering that she is the head of the Regional Peace and Order Council.

"I see the lack of any act, whatsoever," she said as she called on all law enforcement groups to coordinate with the RPOC and local government officials on serious matters like the kidnap group case.