Roldan transferred to Pasig jail

Former congressman Dennis Roldan, who is facing kidnapping charges, was formally transferred yesterday to the Pasig City custodial center.

Judge Agnes Reyes Carpio, of Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 761, ordered Roldan, a former actor (Dennis Gumabao in real life), detained at the custodial center in Barangay Nagpayong while the case against him is being heard.

"Finding probable cause upon evaluation of the resolution and all the supporting evidence of this case filed by the Department of Justice, I hereby commit the person of Michael Gumabao who is accused in the case for kidnapping for ransom to the Pasig jail," Carpio said in a one-page decision dated July 21.

The former lawmaker was formally transferred to the Nagpayong detention facility at 8 a.m. yesterday.

Roldan joined his seven co-accused, who were transferred to the detention center several weeks ago.

The actor is accused of being the mastermind in the kidnapping of a three-year-old boy last Feb. 2005.

The child was on his way to school in Ortigas Center when abducted by the suspects, one of whom later implicated Roldan’s girlfriend Suzette Wang.

Two weeks after the kidnapping incident, Roldan and his co-accused were arrested during a raid in Cubao, Quezon City.

The boy was rescued unharmed.

Since his arrest, Roldan has been held in detention at the Philippine National Police custodial cell in Camp Crame.