Father of kidnapped boy disputes Roldan’s claims

The father of the boy allegedly kidnapped by former Quezon City Rep. Dennis Roldan disputed the latter’s claims that he was abducted by agents of the Police Anti-Emergency Response (PACER) team in a bid to pin him down on kidnap charges.

In a statement, Roger Yu said Roldan knew from the start that he was arrested for the kidnapping of his three-year-old son early this year. "How can he say that he was abducted by PACER when he was taken to PACER, read his rights and even signed a waiver?"

Yu branded as dilatory tactics Roldan’s claims of being abducted by the police unit, which had conducted the rescue operations and arrested the perpetrators.

"It is very obvious that dilatory tactics are in play. He knows he would have a hard time facing the evidence in court . That is why he wants the case to be dismissed by the Department of Justice prior to filing in the court," he said.

Yu said that during inquest at the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office, Roldan allegedly made the sign of a gun with his fingers "as a threat to my wife."

He recalled that a day before the preliminary hearing, Roldan even reviewed his waiver of detention and filed habeas corpus, which was later denied by the court.

He said the court even stated that the arrest was legal.

Yu added there is a lot of collaborating and substantial evidence against him, including the SIM card found on him during his arrest.

"The card was the one used to call my wife during the negotiations," he said.

The DOJ filed last March kidnapping charges against Roldan before the Pasig court for the Yu kidnapping.

State Prosecutor Pablo Formaran said they immediately proceeded to examine the evidence of the complainants against Roldan after he withdrew his waiver of detention in order to avail himself of his right to preliminary investigation.

Formaran said that since Roldan withdrew the waiver, they have no other option but to examine the evidence submitted to the DOJ against the former actor and congressman.

They filed the necessary charges upon finding probable cause to charge him before the 36-hour grace period from the time Roldan withdrew his waiver lapsed.

In a five-page charge sheet, the state prosecutor said the withdrawal of the waiver "reverted the proceedings to being an inquest, whereupon determination of the sufficiency of the complaint, the inquest prosecutor should immediately file the case in court."

Roldan will continue to stay in jail since the case is non-bailable. Formaran however said they "need a commitment order from the court that he will remain under detention."

Roldan and the other suspects were earlier placed on the immigration watchlist to thwart any attempt to escape as they face kidnapping charges.

Last Feb. 20, PACER agents successful rescued the boy from a Cubao safehouse.

Three of Roldan’s alleged cohorts, Rowena and Noel San Andres and Romeo Oreajada, were arrested during the operation.

Roldan and the other suspects were nabbed at his house in Filinvest II, Quezon City. Agents confiscated a caliber .45 pistol with two magazines and a SIM card of the cellular phone number used in their negotiations with the boy’s parents.

According to the boy’s nanny, the kidnappers took him while they were in front of a bank on Emerald Avenue in Ortigas Center. She identified San Andres and Domingo as the ones who grabbed the boy and boarded him onto a Honda CRV.