Pubdate: Mon, 04 Jul 2005
Source: Sunstar Cagayan De Oro (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Sunstar Cagayan De Oro.
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2983
Author: Joey P. Nacalaban
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

COPS IN TROUBLE FOR KIDNAP RAPS

THREE members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are now in
trouble after being arrested for allegedly kidnapping a sister of a
congressman on Saturday morning.

The suspects were identified as Police Officers 3 Irving Castuera,
Sarahjane Bajo, and Vicente Hallazgo Jr. Castuera and Bajo's mother
unit was reported to be at the Regional Special Unit Group (RSUG) 10
based in Camp Alagar in Lapasan but they were detailed at the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEA).

Hallazgo is assigned at the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo).

Prior to the incident, the suspects reportedly arrested a certain Luz
Lagbas Alga, a native of Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental but who
presently resides in Barangay Consolacion, this city, for drug possession.

The lawmen's allegation was denied by Alga saying she is not into the
drug business nor is she a drug user.

Alga is the younger sister of Misamis Oriental Representative Danilo
Lagbas and Sungbongcogon Municipal Mayor Benedict Lagbas.

Attorney Virgilio Mendez, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 10
regional director, said he was able to interview the complainant about
the incident.

Mocking

Mendez said Alga told him she was riding a traysikad and when they
were approaching the UCCP church at Licoan St., a multi-cab suddenly
blocked their way.

Three persons then alighted from the car and approached. She said one
of the men then told her he will arrest her on illegal drug charges.

At this juncture, Alga called up her elder brother Bernie "Bangbang"
Lagbas to inform him that she was being arrested on drugs charges.

Bernie told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro he talked with a woman, one of the
arresting officers, over the phone. The woman asked who I was and I
told her I was the brother of Congressman Lagbas and she mocked me.

The woman then told him to just go to the PDEA 10 office as they are
going to bring Alga there.

Bernie said he tried to check with the PDEA 10 office, all police
precincts, Camp Alagar and the headquarters of Criminal Investigation
and Detection Group (CIDG) but could not find her sister. This
prompted him to think that a kidnapping had occurred.

Blockade

Asked as to where the arresting officers brought her, Alga told the
NBI official that from Licoan, she was brought to a beach in Bulua
this city. A negotiation supposedly occurred there.

Alga said the policemen demanded P200,000 from her but she told them
she doesn't have such amount. Later, the suspects settled for P50,000.

Alga said she then requested the group to bring her to Sugbongcogon so
she could ask P50,000 from her mother-in-law. The suspects agreed.

She added that they boarded a taxi and proceeded to the area.

Alga told Mendez that after getting the amount, she and the police
then returned to the city.

"Pero wala kahibalo ang mga polis ang anak sa complainant mitawag sa
ilang uncle Bang-bang (Benedict Lagbas) ug nagpahibalo nga ang taxi
nga dunay plate number KVK-300 nga gisakyan nilang Luz paingon pabalik
sa (But the police didn't know that the complainant's child called
their uncle Bang-bang and informed him that the taxi with plate number
KVK-300 that was carrying Alga was headed for) Cagayan de Oro," Mendez
said.

Mendez said Benedict informed him about this development and he passed
the information to Superintendent Lyndel Disquitado, the provincial
police director, who in turn ordered his men to conduct a surprise
road blockade.

Not Listed

The taxi was intercepted in Barangay San Martin, Villanueva. Upon
seeing a group of armed policemen in front of them, the suspects
surrendered.

Alga said while in this situation, the suspects, who were already
panicking, tried to plant sachets of crystallized substance that she
believed to be shabu in her possession but failed because she forced
her way to get out from the taxi.

At the NBI office, the suspects denied they kidnapped the complainant
and insisted it was a legitimate operation.

When asked for marked money--a basic requirement in conducting
buy-bust operation--the group failed to present any.

Superintendent Rene Orbe, PDEA 10 chief, rushed to the NBI office and
said he did not know there was such an operation. He said it was not
even in their office's logbook.

Documents

City Police Director Honorio Cervantes said he won't intervene in
favor of Hallazgo and added that if the policeman is found involved in
an illegal activity then he has to face the consequences.

Attorney Noel Vedad, a family friend of Lagbas, said he feels sad that
three members of the city's law enforcement team would do such a thing.

Mayor Lagbas swore he would resign from his post if the suspects would
not be jailed and convicted in court.

Mendez said the suspects would possibly be brought Monday to the City
Prosecutor's Office where kidnapping and extortion charges would be
filed against them. 
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