Court convicts 8 people in 2004 kidnapping of Filipino-Chinese trader

A Quezon City court convicted eight suspects in the kidnapping of a Chinese-Filipino trader 17 years ago in Manila, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.

In a statement, the PNP said Hon. Ma. Luisa Gonzalez-Betic, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 225 of Quezon City, handed down the guilty verdict on Friday to suspects Romeo Ayson, Clayton Patingan, Alberto Culanag, Romeo Aruta, Jose Olbato, Jaime Tolevas, Edwin Castillo, and Sebastian Magaipo for the kidnapping of Genevive Sy in 2004.

They were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

Meanwhile accused Pepe Bihag and Lolita Monarez were acquitted of the charges.

According to the PNP, Patingan and Ayson were former officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). They were among 15 suspects arrested by then Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (now PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group) operatives during rescue and follow-up operations in connection with the kidnapping of Sy.

Others accused, namely Mary Ann Angcahan, Julien Madrid, Janeth Patilona, Clifftor Langcao, Eric Pa-o, were released in 2016 in a plea-bargaining agreement.

Based on the PNP-AKG records, Sy, then 27 years old, was driving her car along Severino Street in Sta Cruz, Manila when she was forcibly taken on March 18, 2004.

Sy was robbed of her jewelry, cash, and personal belongings, before being brought to a safehouse in Fairview, Quezon City, then transferred to another safehouse in Antipolo City.

A ransom of P500,000.00 was sought for her release, which was paid on March 19, 2004. Sy was rescued on March 20, 2004.

PNP Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar was then a field grade officer assigned as Chief of the Investigation and Case Monitoring Division of the defunct Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) unit during the Sy kidnapping.

Eleazar himself testified in court as a prosecution witness during the earlier proceedings of the landmark case, considered among the longest kidnapping cases prosecuted in the history of the PNP.

“Although it took 17 years for the case to reach its logical conclusion, what is more important is that justice prevailed eventually and the criminals have been put away,” Eleazar said. 

In a statement, Monarez, through her counsel Juman Paa, welcomed the QC court's "fair and just" decision.

"This case lasted for almost two decades or more  than 17 years, which is also the time spent by my client in prison for a crime she was never even part of," said Paa.

"My client is very eager to rebuild her life and to reconnect with her loved ones in the province. This decision will restore the faith and trust of other persons wrongfully accused of a crime in our justice system,” he added. — DVM/MDM, GMA News