Manila prosec finally files charges vs kidnapping suspects 3 years after offense

MANILA, Philippines - Charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention were finally filed against five people on Friday for allegedly beating up, threatening to kill and then tying up a male hairdresser in Manila three years ago. In a three-page resolution, Special Counsel Agnes Lopez, of the Office of the Manila City Prosecutor found probable cause that warranted the filing of charges against Sherwin Reyes Mendoza, a certain Roldan, Mar, Dario, and an unidentified woman. No bail was recommended on the five accused who remain at large. “Circumstances revealed that (the) complainant was deprived of his liberty by respondents-offenders who are all private individuals in concert with one another in unlawfully detaining him. In the course of his illegal detention, respondents jointly mauled complainant resulting to the infliction of serious physical injuries on him as shown by the nature of the wounds he suffered. Threats to kill him were also made by them. The elements of the crime of Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention, Article 267 (3), Revised Penal Code, have been thereby established," said the prosecutor. The case stemmed from the complaint of Diosdado Guzman, employed as a senior hairdresser in Makati City, and a resident in Manila's Sampaloc district. Records showed that on September 5, 2005, Guzman got off from a passenger jeepney on Lepanto St. in Manila when two men approached him. The two men asked where he was going and went on to conduct a body search on him. Armed with steel pipes, the two men then allegedly dragged him into a nearby billiard hall where he was met by two other men a female companion. The five persons then allegedly started mauling him and even attacking him with steel pipes. The accused forced Guzman to confess to them that he was a Salisi Gang member. The five also took his ring and wristwatch when he failed to give them money. He later denied to police that he was a gang member. Guzman also alleged that one of the accused even tried to stab him with an icepick threatening to kill him, but he was able to evade the thrust. The complainant was tied up to a post inside the billiard hall using an electrical cord where he was discovered by owners of the billiard hall around 6:30 a.m. The incident was reported to a Manila policeman, PO2 Francisco Velazquez Neri, who was assigned at the University Belt Area, located on P. Noval St. in Sampaloc. It turned out that one of the accused was a son of the owner of the establishment, identified as Bella Reyes Mendoza. Respondent Sherwin had also filed a complaint for malicious mischief against Diosdado Guzman, alleging that he had earlier tried to force open their carinderia or food stall located near the billiard hall. During the medical check up of the complainant at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center and Ospital ng Maynila, the complainant was diagnosed with several contusions and fractures in the different parts of the body. - GMANews.TV