5 suspects in Pakistani's kidnap fall

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Elements of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (Pacer) and Ba­taan policemen have arrested five suspected kidnappers who allegedly received P500,000 ransom from the family of their victim, a Pakistani national who was abducted along with a friend in Pilar, Bataan last Jan. 9.

In a report to Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Leonilo de la Cruz, Bataan police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Garlean said three of the suspects were arrested last Sunday in Balanga City, and the other two in Hermosa, Bataan and Guagua, Pampanga.

The report said Pakistani Yaesar Irfan, 25, and his friend Ramon Secares, both of Balanga City, were riding tandem on a motorcycle when men aboard a sports utility vehicle blocked their path, grabbed them and then took them to a safehouse in Hermosa town.

Bataan police intelligence officer Chief Inspector Cesar Lumiwas told The STAR that the victims were set free at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday somewhere in Hermosa, from where Irfan called up his father who had already sought the help of Pacer and the Bataan police.

He said the Pakistani was engaged in the lending business in various parts of Bataan.

While Lumiwas declined to say if ransom was paid, De la Cruz said in his report that money was paid for the victims’ release.

Some four hours after the victims were released, the report said a joint team of Pacer­ and the Bataan police traced the suspects’ hideout in Barangay Cataning, Hermosa town and arrested Sasenando Martin, Gallardo Martin and Nestor Juliano.

Later that day, the two other suspects, Leonardo Alingcastre, 41, and Ramil Calma, 21, were arrested in Hermosa and Guagua, respectively.

The report said P5,000 cash was recovered from Martin and Juliano, supposedly part of their share of the ransom.

De la Cruz credited the suspects’ arrest to the cooperation of the victims’ families with the police.    – With Ric Sapnu