Suspect-turned witness details Roldan’s role in boy’s kidnapping

Suspect-turned state witness Albert Pagdanganan detailed in court yesterday how the group of former Quezon City congressman and actor Dennis Roldan planned the abduction of a three-year-old Filipino-Chinese boy in Pasig City.

Prosecutor Philip de la Cruz said the testimony of Pagdanganan proves that Roldan (Mitchel Gumabao in real life) masterminded the kidnapping last Feb. 9.

"Yes, we scored big today," said De la Cruz following the almost four-hour testimony of the witness at the sala of Judge Agnes Carpio of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 261.

He noted there was no hesitation in Pagdanganan’s account of what transpired.

"The dates and time were all in detail," De la Cruz said.

Eleven days after he was abducted, the boy was rescued by agents of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) team during a raid at Roldan’s safehouse on Harvard street in Cubao, Quezon City.

During follow-up operations, Pagdanganan was arrested at his residence in Charbel Village, Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

He claimed that Roldan contacted him on Jan. 9 to carry out the kidnapping.

Pagdanganan, accompanied by Roldan’s girlfriend Suzette Wang and several others, conducted surveillance operations on the boy. Pagdanganan said he was the driver of the getaway vehicle when they staged the abduction near the victim’s school.

He also admitted that he was the one who rented the group’s safehouses on West Avenue and in Cubao. He then hired the other accused — couple Noel and Rowena San Andres and Romeo Orcajada — to keep watch on the boy.

Roldan allegedly gave him P225,000 as initial funding for the operation.

The former actor, who was flanked by his two daughters during the court proceedings, broke into a smile several times during Pagdanganan’s testimony.

Roldan’s lawyer Sigfrid Fortun tried to destroy the credibility of the witness by invoking various cases he faces in court.

However, the judge dismissed Fortun’s argument upon being informed by the prosecution that Pagdanganan had been qualified to turn state witness since he has not been convicted of any offense.

Carpio scheduled the next hearing for Dec. 30.