Navotas carjack suspect wanted for kidnap-slay in Manila

A carjacking suspect arrested by the Northern Police District police officers in Navotas City recently turned out to be wanted by the Manila police for the kidnapping and murder of a Chinese-Filipino trader 11 years ago.

Rodolfo Toribio was turned over Friday by the NPD-District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) to the Manila authorities upon learning that he has a standing warrant of arrest for the kidnap-slay of Tommy Wong in 1997.

“After several weeks of diligent information gathering and background checking we were able to determine that the suspect has a standing arrest warrant before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 for kidnapping with murder,” NPD-DPIU chief Superintendent Reynaldo Orante told The STAR.

According to Orante, Toribio and Rufino Santos, with four others, are facing charges for the abduction and killing of Wong, a resident of Sampaloc, Manila on Jan. 20, 1997.

Wong was to bring his five-year-old son to his school at around 6:30 a.m. when their vehicle was blocked by the suspects’ car on Abad Santos Street in Tondo, where he was snatched by at least six armed men.

Three days after the abduction, Wong’s body was found floating under the Delpan Bridge in Tondo, Orante said.

The NPD-DPIU policemen arrested Toribio last July 2 at the Youngstown Compound on C-3 Road, Navotas City for alleged carjacking and qualified theft. He was charged before the office of Navotas City prosecutor Ojer Pacis. – Pete Laude