The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed a trial court decision that convicted two Vietnamese nationals of kidnapping for ransom.

Affirmed were the convictions of Nyuyen Chi Trung, alias Anthony Trung Nguyen, and Pham Minh Viet who were sentenced by the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC) on Nov. 29, 2023 to reclusion perpetua, a jail term ranging from 20 to 40 years.

They were also ordered to pay the victim, who was identified in the CA decision as Nguyen Thi Be Van – also a Vietnamese national -- P100,000 in civil indemnity; P100,000 in moral damages; and P100,000 in exemplary damages.

The CA decision, written by Associate Justice Ramon A. Cruz, dismissed the appeal filed by Trung and Viet.

The appellate court’s decision ruled that the prosecution was able to prove that the two convicts were involved in the kidnapping and detention of Thi Be Van from Oct. 29 to Nov. 16, 2022.

“A judicious review of the records reveals that the prosecution was able to establish the participation of accused-appellants Trung and Viet in the commission of the crime,” the CA pointed out.

During the trial before the RTC, Thi Be Van testified that on Oct. 29, 2022, Trung invited her to go to a bar, claiming that his boss wanted to meet her to discuss a business proposal.

Trung, who used to work with the now banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator, arranged for a car service to pick her up from her restaurant in Pasay City.

While Trung and Thi Be Van were inside the car, two armed Chinese nationals intercepted the vehicle, boarded the car, and sat beside her.

She told the trial court that her captors blindfolded her, hit her, took her telephone, and forced her to disclose her telephone number and bank account passwords.

She also said that Trung was sitting quietly and unharmed. Later, she added she was brought to a safehouse where she saw Viet who used her telephone to call her brother in Vietnam and to demand P50 million for her release.

After four days, Thi Be Van testified that she was brought to another safehouse where she was continuously harmed to convince her family to pay the ransom. Several days later, she said she was released somewhere in Antipolo City.

Later, Trung and Viet were arrested by the operatives of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group. Kidnapping for ransom charges were filed against them.

They were positively identified by Thi Be Van as her kidnappers.

The CA ruled:

“The prosecution was able to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Trung and Viet participated in the commission of the crime.

“Accordingly, We find that the RTC did not err in convicting both of them for the crime of Kidnapping for Ransom under Article 267 of the RPC (Revised Penal Code).

“Wherefore, in view of the foregoing, the appeal is dismissed for lack of merit. The Decision dated Nov. 29, 2023 rendered by Branch 115, Regional Trial Court, Pasay City, in Criminal Case No. R-PSY-22-02856-CR, is hereby affirmed. So ordered.”