Caloocan cop nabbed for kidnap of 2 women: Manhunt on for 3 more cops

MANILA, Philippines - A Caloocan City policeman was arrested yesterday as he and three other policemen received money for the release of two women they allegedly kidnapped Thursday night.

Police Officer 2 Roger Bacanto, assigned at the Caloocan City police Sub-station 3 (SS3) in Bagong Silang, named his alleged cohorts as Police Officer 2 Celedonio Tipon and PO1s Jay Jay Valiente and Venancio Jayoma Jr.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome ordered yesterday the filing of criminal and administrative charges against the four Caloocan City policemen for their alleged involvement in kidnap-for-ransom.

“Their being law enforcers themselves, who are expected to protect the community, aggravates the circumstances and deals a double slap to the victims,” he said.

The four policemen were tagged as behind the kidnapping of Julie Ann Espejon, 17, and Jemma Pelagio, 42 last Dec. 9.

Initial investigation revealed that Bacanto, Tipon and Valiente barged into the home of a certain Veronica Espejon in Maharlika, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City at about 11 p.m. Thursday.

The three policemen introduced themselves as members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and seized Espejon’s Samsung desktop computer, alleging that it was being used for cybersex.

The policemen then snatched Espejon’s 17-year-old daughter, Julie Ann, and her neighbor, Jemma Pelagio, 49, and sped off in a van.

Espejon immediately reported the incident to the Bagong Silang police after the suspects demanded P100,000 for her daughter’s release.

Upon the instructions of the suspects’ immediate superior, Superintendent Carlito Dimalanta, Espejon agreed to pay an initial amount of P10,000 as ransom. She handed the money to the suspects at around 2:30 a.m. yesterday near a hospital on Ilang-Ilang street in Barangay 176.

During the payoff, the suspects sensed it was a setup and fled. Bacanto was caught, while Tipon, Vallente and Jayoma managed to drive away on a motorcycle with the ransom money.

“His cohorts freed the kidnap victims at around 5 a.m. in Barangay Tungko in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan,” said Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos.

He added that they tried to contact the three policemen and visited their respective houses, but they could not be found.

Bartolome ordered Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao, director of the Northern Police District (NPD) to launch a manhunt for the erring policemen.

“I have directed Ladao to immediately arrest, disarm, and detain the three other police officers,” Bartolome said.

Ladao has ordered Santos to file kidnapping and robbery-in-band charges against the four suspects.