New anti-crime group scores

Agents of the newly organized National Anti-Crime Commission Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF) arrested at dawn yesterday six suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom group believed responsible in the abduction of three Filipino-Chinese in Valenzuela City early this month.

Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., NAKTAF chief, identified the suspects as Wilfredo Flores, 31, the alleged leader of the group; Reynaldo Villesis, 43; Antonino Adriano, 37; Gerardo Bautista, 43, all residents of San Rafael, Bulacan; Nilo Solis, 25, of Norzagaray, Bulacan; and Gary Bautista, 22, of Baliuag also in Bulacan.

Ebdane said ongoing operations are still underway for the arrest of the financier of the group.

The suspects were presented to the media yesterday afternoon at Camp Crame by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Hernando Perez.

As NACC chairman, Perez also officially announced at yesterday’s press conference Ebdane’s appointment as head of NAKTAF; Deputy Director Miguel Coronel as chief of the National Anti-Drug Task Force (NADTF) and retired General Tomas Millan as chief of the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (NASTF).

Investigation showed that the six suspects were responsible in the abduction of Jessica Ang and her two companions identified as Jensen Co and Eusebio Caoili in Sitio Gitna, Valenzuela City last Sept. 1.

Ebdane said the suspects were apprehended in their safehouse in Candaba, Pampanga by NAKTAF agents led by Superintendent Allan Purisima.

Recovered from the suspects were P28,000 in cash believed to be part of the ransom money raised by the victims’ families, and one caliber .38 revolver.

The suspects are detained at the PNP-Special Task Force Group pending the filing of criminal charges against them.

Ebdane attributed the arrest of the suspects to Ang’s husband Sammy Ang, who coordinated with his office immediately after the victims were released last Sept. 7 after they family paid a sum of P2.7 million. The kidnap gang orginally demanded for a P10 million ransom.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation is confident that it can nail those behind the abduction of casino employee Edgar Bentain.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters that the case is now "developing beautifully" with the help of three witnesses, including Indian businessman Dharm "Danny" Devnani.

"It is developing beautifully. We have an idea who did it, we are just looking for evidence to corroborate," Wycoco told reporters during the launching of the on-line clearance renewal kiosk in Makati City.

He admitted that the bureau’s investigation into the case has hit a snag after the NBI had a hard time convincing witnesses to come out and testify on who abducted and killed Bentain, a closed circuit television operator at the Heritage Hotel ( formely Silahis Hotel).

Bentain disappeared on the early morning of Jan. 16, 1999, at the parking lot of the Grand Boulevard Hotel where he went to meet friends after work. – Jaime Laude and Mike Frialde