Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla said former policemen and soldiers, who acted as bodyguards of the now banned Philippine Gaming Offshore Operator (POGO), are involved in the kidnapping of a student of an exclusive school in Taguig City.
“We are definite na ang perpetrators ay ginamit ang kanilang mga former bodyguards na AWOL (absent without leave) na ngayon sa serbisyo ng AFP at PNP, AWOL so they are no longer in service (We are sure that the perpetrators used their AWOL bodyguards who are now out of the AFP, PNP service, AWOL so they are no longer in service),’’ Remulla said.
“Let me make it clear, hindi pa tapos ‘to (technical problem) ng POGO. Uulitin ko, ito ay resulta ng POGO. We suspect na ang biktima ay galing sa pamilya na nag-o-operate ng POGO dati. We are definite na ang sindikato na nasa likod ng kidnapping ay former operators ng POGO din (POGO’s technical woes remain unfinished. Let me reiterate, this is a result of POGO. We suspect that the victim belongs to the family of former POGO operators. We are sure that the syndicate behind the kidnapping are also former POGO operators),’’ he added.
Even if the child is already secured and relatively healthy, Remulla said the operations will continue until all those responsible for the abduction are brought to justice.
Citing police report, Remulla said the Feb. 20 kidnapping incident was reported by the victim’s parents after their son whose dismissal was at 2:40 p.m. did not arrive home.
The vehicle of the victim was discovered at the off-ramp of C5 Road.
On Feb. 21, Remulla said authorities found the an abandoned vehicle with the cadaver of the driver inside.
“Now, the contents of the vehicle include pictures, conversations, cellphone numbers, strategies, casings of how they would do the job. Now, the driver is already deceased so he cannot be considered a person of interest. However, the vehicle where he was found yielded evidence,’’ Remulla noted.
Subsequently, Remulla disclosed that a US$20 million demand was made by the kidnappers which the family of the kidnap victim refused.
On Feb. 22, Remulla revealed that the abductors released a video where the tip of the victim’s finger was being severed.
Another conversation occurred on Feb. 23 when the victim’s parents asked for “proof of life’’ which the abductors agreed and showed the senior high school student singing the favorite song of his younger sibling.
“Kumanta iyong bata, nakangiti naman at mula sa video na iyon ay mukhang in good health (The child sang, was smiling and seemed in good health in the video),’’ Remulla said.
Last Monday, the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) found positive results out of the pieces of evidence found that led the cellphones’ signal to the abductor.
At the height of the pursuit, he operatives saw a pajama-clad child whose hand was bandaged standing on the middle of the road in the Parañaque City area.
Instead of continuing the chase, Remulla said the AKG agents opted to secure the victim and brought him to his father.
He said no ransom was paid.