Bato arrests fugitive cop in Thailand

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa returned from Thailand on Saturday night with a wanted police officer charged with kidnapping and homicide more than 10 years ago.

Dela Rosa’s trip to Thailand for a conference with his counterpart on strengthening relations resulted in the arrest of fugitive Police Officer 2 Alexander Pangilinan.

On his Facebook account, the PNP chief posted his photo with Pangilinan beside him in front of a statue of a Thai goddess.

The photo carried a caption that read: “A very productive hunting trip with this ex-cop fugitive who has been wanted for kidnapping for ransom with homicide as the catch. Suspect fled the country and evaded arrest for 10 years while employed as a resort manager in Thailand.”

Dela Rosa was the guest of honor during the anniversary celebration of the Royal Thai Police from Oct. 12 to 13.

He will present Pangilinan in a press conference following today’s flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame.

The STAR reported on Oct. 1, 2005 that Pangilinan, an alleged member of “Doce Pares Gang,” was linked to the kidnapping and killing of a Chinese engineer.

The report said the police recovered the vehicle used by the gang in kidnapping the victim in Quezon City on Sept. 15, 2005.

The vehicle, a red Nissan Sentra, was seized by elements of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) during a raid on the house of Pangilinan in Barangay Mayamot last Wednesday.

Police Officer 1 Candido Vallejo, who admitted his participation in the kidnapping of Michael Chua Chan, led PACER agents to Pangilinan’s residence.

Vallejo, along with PO1 Roger Villarente and PO1 Roel Palana, was arrested by combined elements of the Eastern Police District (EPD), Rizal police and the local Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) after they were tagged in the slaying of one-year-old Erica Charlene Guevarra in Cainta on Sept. 14, 2005.

During interrogation, Vallejo allegedly admitted his role in the kidnapping of Chan, who was found dead in a ravine along Marcos Highway in Barangay Inarawan two days after he was kidnapped.

Like the other members of the “Doce Pares,” Pangilinan was formerly assigned with the Pasig City police before he was transferred to the District Mobile Force of the EPD.

“The members of the gang are those what we call 15-30 policemen, who report only to collect their salaries,” a source told The STAR.

Pangilinan’s last assignment was with a unit under the CIDG.