Airtight case
The PNP claims they have the goods on SP03 Ricky Sta. Isabel, who has been tagged as one of those who abducted a Korean businessman in Angeles City last October.
PNP Chief Gen. Dela Rosa recently ordered a manhunt for Sta. Rita, but when he presented himself to the media. He claims he has been coming to work at Camp Crame ever since, with his attendance checked every day. He also seems to have an alibi. He has shown evidence of being admitted to a hospital when the crime was committed.
Still, the PNP remains adamant that they have their man. Backing on the CCTV footage of the vehicle used in abducting the Korean and the household help, which was registered in the name of the policeman's wife, to alleged bank withdrawals. They claim to have an airtight case.
It turns out that Sta. Isabel already has a prior case of kidnapping, but was eventually dismissed. We can only ask why. I wonder if all the citations and medals given to Sta. Isabel were before or after his first kidnapping case? These so-called medals and citations in the PNP do not have seemed to mean anything. Why is it that when police officers are the ones charged for a crime, the majority seem to get dismissed? If they have an airtight case against Sta. Isabel, why hasn't he been arrested? I understand kidnapping is a non-bailable offense.
I can only feel sorry for the Korean businessman's wife, who only wants her husband back, so they can go back to Korea. It's been more than three months since the abduction, with no word about his whereabouts, or his situation, despite the initial ransom payment of five million pesos. If you ask Gen. Dela Rosa, he's not confident that the victim is still alive. Words of comfort I'm sure to the victim's wife, coming from the top cop of the land.
I can only hope that this "tokhang for ransom" modus operandi perpetrated by scalawags in the PNP will now stop.
Now that considerable attention has been brought to the case, along with a planned Senate investigation, those involved in criminal operations would think twice.
That, of course, depends on how the case against Sta. Isabel follows through.
Will the case be dismissed? Will he just get reassigned? Or will he get what he deserves, if and when proven guilty?
How lucky are these rogue cops. They are able to totally avail of due process. Unlike so many thousands who have already died in this so-called war.
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