PNP intensifies manhunt for 20 kidnappers

MANILA, Philippines – Police intensified the manhunt against notorious kidnappers following reports of resurgence of kidnapping after the first 100 days of President Aquino.

Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, chief of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER), said they are working on arresting the 20 most notorious kidnappers in the country.

Last year, the PNP upgraded its list of most wanted kidnappers that included the leaders of the notorious Abu Sayyaf in southern Mindanao.

The PNP issued the most wanted posters that included Abu Sayyaf chieftain Isnilon Hapilon, Radullan Sahiron, Rolando Fajardo, Harold Fajardo, Neil Cutad, Moore Panday, Furuji Indama, Mario Valerio, Suzette Wang, Reniel Abogado, Preacher Jacob, Miguel Saavedra, Efren Abucay, Alexander Pangilinan, Elorde Bitanghol, Andy Quintana, Paul Tan, Ely Frias, Joel Tapec and Richard Gulfar Orayan.

The PNP printed over 10,000 copies of the posters and distributed them across the country.

Nerez said the posters were placed in public places such as bus terminals and airports.

Hapilon, most wanted criminal, carries a bounty of P250 million, while Sahiron has a P10-million reward for his capture, the bounty funded by the US government as part of their reward for justice program.

The two Fajardos, on the other hand, have P1-million reward each on their heads, while Cutad, Panday, Indama and Valerio each have P500,000.

The wanted posters also indicated Wang, Abogado, Jacob and Saavedra have P300,000 bounties.

Frias and Tapec have P275,000; Abucay, Pangilinan, Bitanghol at Quintana carry P250,000 reward while Tan has P200,000 and Orayan has P100,000.

Nerez said at least four kidnapping syndicates are operating in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and the Visayas region.

Each kidnapping group has at least six members but there are cases where a group would borrow members or logistics from another group.

“The (kidnapping) groups have dismissed or retired members of the police and military, we are doing our best to account for all of them,” Nerez said.

Nerez explained PACER handles cases of kidnapping identified with any organized crime group.

PACER, on the other hand, refused to comment on the reported kidnapping of eight people, including seven school children in Valenzuela City two weeks ago.

Reports said the father was about to drive the children to their respective schools in Caloocan City and Quezon City, when unidentified armed men stopped their vehicle and took them away.

Several witnesses, including some tricycle drivers in the area, claimed seeing the incident occurring near the tricycle terminal in the city.

The local police, though, claimed they received no reports of any kidnapping. They said PACER would have immediate jurisdiction if any kidnapping occur.

Nerez admitted having at least 18 kidnapping incidents recorded from January to October this year, lower than the 35 cases in 2009.