DOJ indicts 6 more in kidnapping case

The Department of Justice has indicted six more people and identified others accused in the kidnapping of a daughter of Uratex owner Robert Cheng three years ago.

In an amended information filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 81, State Prosecutor Phillip Kimpo said the extra-judicial confession of Cancio Cubillas Jr., one of the "John Does" later arrested, revealed the names of the others allegedly involved in the kidnapping-for-ransom of Cheng’s daughter.

The DOJ now has 24 accused. Ouf the 18 it listed earlier, only seven have been identified:, namely: Cubillas, Rolando Villaver, Edgardo Decipulo, Nicomedes Gerilla, Florante Concepcion, Joven Mercado and Eugene Radam, who reportedly died.

Those newly identified were Junjun Villaver, Ningning Villaver, Vicente Lugnasen, Danny Velasquez, Cezar Olimpiada, Chris Opulencia, Abner Opulencia, Apolonio Opulencia, Rolly Fajardo, Harold Fajardo, Manny Escobar, Allan Celebre, Idoy Trota, Lito Mercado and three more "John Does."

Kimpo said Cubillas will be used as state witness against the other accused.

The prosecutor said the accused, along with others not present during the actual kidnapping but performing some other peculiarly contributory roles, abducted the girl, her driver Dionisio Burca and bodyguard Valentin Torres inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City on June 18, 2001 at around 7:40 a.m.

They then held the three captives for the purpose of extorting money for their release.

The prosecutor said the father paid P15 million in ransom, which was delivered to Laguna where the victims where held.

The three were release on the same day after the payment was made. – Aurea Calica