Another Soriano victim surfaces

A businessman showed up at Camp Crame yesterday, saying he too had fallen victim to the alleged extortion activities of former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agent Martin Soriano.

Allan Sycip, of Mandaluyong City, positively identified Soriano during a confrontation yesterday at the headquarters of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) as the man who took his Honda Civic, P100,000 cash, handy cam and watch last month.

Soriano and two of his cohorts are now in PACER custody after they were arrested for abducting businesswoman Caroline Guillen in Quezon City last month.

Sycip said he was driving his red Honda Civic (CRG 638) on Ayala Avenue in Makati City last Jan. 28 when Soriano and his group blocked his path. The group accused him of possession of illegal drugs.

The businessman said Soriano took him to the Citadel Hotel in Makati City where he saw Guillen.

Sycip said he was ordered by Soriano to go home after leaving behind his car, cash and valuables.

The businessman decided to surface and file a complaint against Soriano after recognizing him in the morning papers.

PACER agents recovered Sycip’s car and two other vehicles at the parking lot of the Tiffany Mansions on Annapolis street in Greenhills, San Juan, where Soriano had been maintaining a "safe house."

Agents under PACER officer-in-charge Director Robert Delfin are now looking for the owners of a Mercedes Benz with no license plates and a white Toyota Crown (XPJ 900). The two vehicles may have been used by Soriano’s group in their illegal activities, police said.

Soriano was arrested last Jan. 31 at the parking lot of the Yellow Cab pizza parlor on Tomas Morato in Quezon City while in the act of receiving P200,000 in exchange for the release of Guillen.

Also arrested were Soriano’s security officer, Ramiro Ganzon, 44, and his driver, Danny Rendon, 29.

During tactical interrogation, Soriano insisted that the operation against Guillen was legitimate. He added that seven Manila policemen were involved in the case.

Police are now investigating the possible involvement of the seven officers in Soriano’s kidnapping and extortion activities.

A composite team from PACER, National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (Naktaf) and National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) confiscated from Soriano and his cohorts Guillen’s green Isuzu Crosswind (XBW 448) and a beige Toyota Crown (TFN 385) which were used in the second pay-off.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Edgar Aglipay vowed to dig deeper into Soriano’s activities.

"We should get the others, especially policemen, who are involved in the case," Aglipay said in his directive to Delfin and Metro police chief Director Avelino Razon Jr.

Earlier, Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes urged other victims of Soriano to surface as he assured them of full police protection.

During the presentation of Soriano at Camp Crame the other day, former narcotics agent Mary "Rosebud" Ong surfaced and accused him of kidnapping her in 1998.