EDSA Ortigas Kidnapping Linked to Cops

Image courtesy of www.abs-cbnnews.com

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Policemen from La Loma, Quezon City have been tagged as the men in the viral abduction photo along EDSA which was taken last September 1.

In a press conference, Eastern Police District (EPD) Director Chief Supt. Abelardo Villacorta said at least 9 policemen were behind the incident on EDSA, a photo of which captured the attention of netizens.

The incident was apparently a case of abduction-extortion, as the victims were accosted by the policemen and the P2 million they were carrying were seized.

In the viral photo, a Honda Civic, gray Toyota Hi-Ace, and black Toyota Fortuner were seen boxing in a white Toyota Fortuner along EDSA-Ortigas area. Armed men were also seen surrounding the white Fortuner, pointing guns at those on board.

Villacorta said Chief Inspector Joseph De Vera of La Loma Police was traced as the owner of a Toyota Hi-Ace van with conduction sticker YF 9767.

The Honda Civic car seen in the photo, meanwhile, was traced to a dismissed police officer, former Insp. Marco Polo Estrera.

Villacorta said De Vera has admitted that his group indeed seized the victims. He also named several fellow policemen from La Loma as his cohorts.

Villacorta said De Vera tagged Estrera, Senior Inspector Oliver Villanueva, PO2 Mark de Paz, PO2 Ebonn Decatoria, PO2 Jonathan Rodriguez, SPO1 Ramil Hachero, PO2 Jerome Datinguinoo, and PO2 Weavin Masa as his cohorts.

Quezon City Police District chief Richard Albano said aside from De Vera, Rodriguez has also been arrested. The rest of the policemen are now considered on absence without leave (AWOL).

BREAKTHROUGH

According to Villacorta, a bus driver who witnessed the incident managed to give the plate number of victims' car, the white Fortuner.

The white Fortuner was traced to a certain Maguidala Mamaruga Nasser of Lanao del Sur by Task Force Wack-Wack – which was formed to solve the case.

Villacorta said he met with Nasser, who apparently has knowledge about the story behind the mysterious photo. He said Nasser revealed that the people on board the white Fortuner were victims of abduction and robbery.

''Through Nasser, we were able to convince the owner of the car (white Fortuner) to appear and tell us who were on board it. Luckily, we were able to convince them. The two victims met with us,'' Villacorta said.

Villacorta said the two victims met with them last Saturday, September 6, to narrate the incident. After this, EPD police went to La Loma Police station past midnight of September 7 to conduct a walk through of the incident.

''It turned out, the incident involved robbery and abduction. After giving their statement, we formalized their complaint, and we conducted a follow-up operation,'' Villacorta said.

When EPD police arrived at the La Loma station, Villacorta said De Vera was present.

Villacorta said he quizzed De Vera about the incident. He said De Vera initially told him that he and his group were not behind the viral photo.

However, when Villacorta showed an enhanced version of the photo showing the Toyota Hi-Ace's conduction sticker, De Vera changed his story and claimed that what was captured on camera was a ''anti-drug operation."

Villacorta, however, said De Vera was not able to present documents proving the legitimacy of the operation.

''According to him (De Vera), it was an anti-drug operation planned by Villanueva…but there was no authority for them to do that, not even coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. They don't have a spot report or even blotter,'' Villacorta said.

De Vera, nonetheless, listed down the names of the policemen who were with him on EDSA that day.

According to Villacorta, his group was able to trace the conduction sticker YF 9676 to De Vera. He added he has in possession of a sales invoice proving that De Vera bought the brand new van from a Toyota dealership in Quezon City.

Villacorta added that it was also through photo enhancement that Task Force Wack-Wack was able to determine the plate number of the Honda Civic.

He said the original owner of the Civic was Golden Arches Development Corp. The car was later sold to Estrera, based on documents gathered by the police.

DETAINED FOR 7 HOURS

One of the victims said they were carrying P2 million that day. The huge sum was supposedly a payment for the purchase of an equipment of a contractor in Lanao del Sur.

The victim admitted talking to his former girlfriend about the huge transaction, which was supposed to take place at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Police said it is possible that the woman was the one who leaked information about the cash transaction.

''We consider her as a suspect because based on the information that we got, she was the only one whom the victim had a talk to regarding the money,'' Villacorta said.

Apart from the P2 million, the victims also claimed that the policemen seized their ATM cards and asked them for the PIN codes. Both victims lost about P30,000 each from their respective ATM accounts.

Villacorta said, according to the two victims, they were detained at the La Loma police station for about 7 hours.

The victims were eventually released and a policeman drove them using their own Fortuner. The policeman dropped them off near EDSA. The two did not say whether the police told them they were being arrested for a crime.

According to the victims, the policeman had their windshield replaced. The windshield was apparently smashed during the abduction.

''We were able to know that they had the windshield replaced in Banawe,'' Villacorta said, referring to the popular street near La Loma district where car accessories are being sold.

Estrera and the active policemen are facing charges of brigandage and kidnapping with serious illegal detention, according to Villacorta.

Villacorta said inquest proceedings were held today at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor's Office.

Albano, meanwhile, said he has already ordered a probe into the records of the policemen involved.