CIDG man accused of kidnap, extortion

A ranking official of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is in hot water for his alleged involvement in a string of illegal activities ranging from kidnapping to extortion victimizing foreign businessmen.

Superintendent Efren Valeriano, of the CIDG-Anti Transnational Crime Division, is facing criminal and administrative charges before the Makati City Prosecutors’ Office after a Taiwanese businessman accused him and several other CIDG personnel of kidnapping and extortion.

Fearing for his life, the Taiwanese fled to Canada after filing the complaint before the Makati City Prosecutors’ Office.

Only recently, the kidnap-extortion case was published in the Hong Kong newspaper Oriental Daily News. The story ran with the head: "Military of the Philippines responsible for the kidnapping of Taiwan businessman; HK$1.4-M ransom paid."

The recent incident adds to an already growing number of controversial cases involving erring CIDG personnel engaged in "railroading" cases and arrests made in the guise of serving warrants of arrest on unsuspecting victims.

Valeriano and his men were accused by the complainant, identified as Philip King Chien, a Taiwanese engaged in garments trade and a TV cable business in Manila, of kidnapping and extortion last month.

Valeriano is now assigned at the Finance and Technical Services Division of the CIDG after his men at the Anti-Transnational Crime Division were involved in another kidnap-extortion case in Nasugbu, Batangas, where they demanded P10 million from one Dr. Frank Aragon.

Valeriano’s men used the same modus-operandi in the case of Aragon who also coughed up P5 million.

Armed with an arrest warrant issued by a local court, Chien was allegedly brought blindfolded to the CIDG-Anti-Transnational Crime Division located at the third floor of the CIDG headquarters at Camp Crame.

While under detention, Chien said the suspects demanded P10 million from him. The police even informed the victim that the money would be used to "bail him out." The victim’s family based in Taiwan raised approximately HK$1.4-million for his release.