9 kidnap cases solved in July

Nine kidnapping cases have been solved and 30 suspected kidnappers arrested since the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) announced a 90-day timetable to stem the rising number of abductions.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza said the 30 suspected kidnappers belonged to five criminal gangs. He said the arrests reduced to 13 the number of major criminal groups operating in the country.

The five dismantled kidnap gangs were among 18 major crime groups the PNP has targeted for immediate disbandment, he said.

Mendoza said the Joel Medraño Gang, the most notorious kidnap syndicate, was "neutralized" by a special police task force led by Director Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., whose men tracked down the suspects in various safehouses in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, and nearby provinces.

Mendoza said the gang was behind the kidnapping of the following:

• Marco Sia in Sta. Maria, Bulacan last March 14.

• Singaporean Benedict Leong and Hong Kong Chinese Judy Chan in Tondo, Manila last April 26.

• Josielyn Tan Cabrera in Guiguinto, Bulacan last May 11.

• Miguel Siscar in Plaridel, Bulacan last June 5.

Police have in custody gang leader Jery Madronio Rodriguez, alias Joel Medraño, and 15 of his men, he added.

In a statement yesterday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said the "neutralization" of kidnap-for-ransom gangs in the past 30 days is a good indication that the police are on the right track in keeping up with the NCPO’s 90-day timetable announced last July 3.

"This government effort is strengthened further by the forging of an inter-agency agreement recently among the PNP AFP, and the NBI for closer coordination and cooperation in operations against organized crime groups engaged in heinous crimes," read the statement.

Lina said police rescued 10-year-old Ryan James Yulo from his kidnappers in Lahug, Cebu City last week and arrested five suspected kidnappers in a follow-up operation in Davao City.

Police also arrested Armando Avila and Nito Libradilla, two suspected leaders of the Nonoy Avila kidnap gang, he added.

Senior Superintendent Jesus Versoza, chief of the Office of Businessmen’s Concern at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said the Avila Gang had snatched the owners of Goodies Mami House in Caloocan City, and the Goodah foodchain in Quezon City.

Avila gangmen are also facing charges of murder, parricide and kidnapping before the Cavite City Regional Trial Court, he added.

Versoza said last July 11, police rescued South Korean Kung Ok Oh, who was being held by his kidnappers in a house in Barangay Castañas in Sariaya, Quezon.

Three suspects were also arrested in a series of police raids in various provinces in Southern Tagalog and two other gangmen are being hunted, he added.

Versoza said a suspected kidnapper was killed and four others arrested when police and National Bureau of Investigation agents stormed the gang’s hideout in Baro-Baro resort in Barangay Pansol in Calamba, Laguna to rescue Chinese-Filipino businessman Alvin Sy, who was unharmed.