SC: Ransom money not required as evidence in kidnapping cases

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday said the actual ransom money need not be presented in court to secure a conviction for kidnapping for ransom.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario, the SC affirmed the conviction of Jose Olbato, Police Officer III Clayton Patingan, and another co-accused for kidnapping for ransom.

According to court records, Genevieve Ong Sy was kidnapped by the assailants while she was driving. The kidnappers detained her in a house and demanded P50 million from her father in exchange for her release. After negotiations, the ransom demand was eventually reduced to P500,000.

Sy’s driver delivered the marked ransom money to the kidnappers under police surveillance. Authorities subsequently rescued Sy, recovered the money, and arrested the accused.

The Regional Trial Court found the accused guilty of conspiring to kidnap Sy for ransom. The Court of Appeals later upheld their conviction.

In appealing their conviction before the SC, the accused argued that their guilt had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt because the prosecution failed to present the actual ransom money in court.

The cash was allegedly lost while in police custody.

In its decision promulgated in January, the SC ruled that the presentation of the actual ransom money in court is not required to prove kidnapping for ransom.

The Court said the prosecution was able to establish that a ransom was demanded, negotiated, and delivered.

According to the SC, Sy’s father testified that the kidnappers repeatedly called him to demand money. Evidence also showed that the ransom money was delivered and received during the police operation.

The SC sentenced Olbato and his co-accused to up to 40 years in prison and ordered them to pay the victim P300,000 in damages.— MCG, GMA News