Kidnap-for-ransom raps filed against 2 CIDG men

Calaca, Batangas — Charges of kidnapping for ransom have been filed by the local police here against a member and a civilian agent of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Batangas field office.

The suspects were recently tagged as the masterminds in the abduction of a businessman and his nephew in Alitagtag town last April 22.

Superintendent Ferdinand de Castro, Calaca police chief, told The Star that a kidnap-for-ransom charge has been filed at the sala of Judge Mercedes Lindog of the Calaca Municipal Trial Court against SPO3 Valeriano Parra and CIDG civilian agent Gerardo Caisip.

Parra and Caisip were arrested by De Castro’s men in front of Alitagtag Catholic Church before midnight last Saturday allegedly after receiving the P120,000 ransom in exchange for the release of businessman Felipe Gatdula and his nephew, Julio Cataquis.

A third suspect, who allegedly received the ransom money, however, managed to escape, De Castro said.

Region 4 director Superintendent Mario Sanga, however, has expressed doubt about the case as he said there was no ransom money recovered from the entrapment operation made by the Calaca police.

But if it is proven that there was indeed probable cause for filing kidnap-for-ransom charges against the suspects, he said he won’t tolerate any wrongdoings of his men.

Gatdula and Cataquis, police said, were snatched by 10 men from Gatdula’s garments factory in Barangay 4 Poblacion here at around 8:40 p.m.

The kidnappers originally demanded P200,000 ransom, but later agreed to lower the amount to P120,000, police said.

Prior to the pay-off, Gatdula’s family coordinated with the local police here and Parra and Caisip were collared after receiving the ransom.

Gatdula and his nephew were later separately found in Barangays Balagtas and Balete, both in Batangas City, respectively.

Seized from Parra and Caisip were a caliber .45 pistol, a police-issued 9mm Berreta pistol, a cellphone and a blue Mitsubishi Adventure GLX with improvised plate. — Arnell Ozaeta