Mandaluyong cops identify body in river as kidnap victim

The body of a man fished out from the Marikina river in Pasig City last April 24 turned out to be that of an Indian trader earlier kidnapped in Mandaluyong City.

Initial reports identified the victim as Jerrail Singh, of Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City.

Singh’s case is now being handled by the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) amid reports that his family paid P400,000 in ransom to his kidnappers.

Reports showed that Singh left his house in Mandaluyong City on the night of April 23 to meet a close friend in Makati City.

The victim was last seen alive parking his blue Honda Wave motorcycle with license plate UO 2384 at the parking lot of a mall in Barangay Barangka Ilaya.

Last April 24, Robin Bermudez, 40, was fishing under the Sta. Rosa de Lima bridge on the Marikina River when he noticed a black traveling bag floating among the water lilies.

Bermudez opened it and found the body of a man inside.

He reported his find to the police, which sent crime scene investigator Senior Inspector Russel Leysa to conduct a field examination on the cadaver.

Singh’s family identified the victim’s body at a funeral parlor in Pasig City last May 1.

His motorcycle was turned over the same day to the custody of the Mandaluyong City police by Crisanto Calzado, a mall security guard, after the owner failed to show up and redeem it for more than a week.

Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, turned over the motorcycle to Singh’s relatives.

A PACER official told The Star that Singh’s kidnappers contacted his family hours after he left their house and demanded P400,000.

The PACER official said the Singh family is cooperating fully in the investigation. – Non Alquitran