A Muntinlupa judge sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday a member of a kidnap-for-ransom group that abducted a two-year-old Chinese-Filipino boy more than four years ago.
Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Judge Philip Aguinaldo also ordered convicted kidnapper Ramon Patrona to pay the victim, Gian Jethro Chua, and his family P500,000 as moral damages and return the P1.8 million Chua’s family paid as ransom.
Court records showed that on Dec. 2, 2003, Chua was being driven to pre-school at the Alabang Learning Center.
Upon reaching Susana Heights in Muntinlupa, the suspects – wearing bonnets and carrying handguns and M-16 rifles – blocked the vehicle’s path and fired at the car. Chua, who was accompanied by his nanny and the family driver, was pulled out of the car through the window.
The abductors initially demanded a P50-million ransom, but his parents paid P1.8 million after 14 days of negotiation. However, the kidnappers failed to release the boy, demanding more money.
On Dec. 30, 2003, the Philippine Anti-Crime Emergency Response and the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, then headed by current Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, rescued Chua from a safehouse in Pamana Homes at Calamba, Laguna and arrested Patrona and Rosamel Abiday.
Four other suspects were killed during a running gunbattle in Mabitac, Laguna.
The Chua family filed charges against Patrona and Abiday with the help of the Department of Justice. Abiday was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.