15 charged for Cheng kidnap

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) filed kidnapping for ransom charges yesterday against 15 men who allegedly abducted three persons, including a scion of the Uratex Foam Company, inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City two months ago.

Charged were Frederick Valencia, alias Ambot, the alleged leader of the Valencia kidnap-for-ransom group; Renny Ibus, Ronie Selos, Rannie Valencia, Danny Villadores, Domingo Asuncion, Jimmy Asuncion, Rolly Sarabia, and Ronald Sejalbo. The six others, including the alleged right-handman of the gang’s leader, are still unidentified.

Chief Inspector Edgardo Divina, head of the CIDG-National Capital Region (NCR), said all the suspects are still at large.

He explained that the charges were anchored on the testimony of Joel Guillermo, a former member of the group who surrendered to the authorities and implicated the 15 men in the abduction of Mary Grace Cheng Rosagas, her bodyguard Valentin Torres and driver Dionisio Burca.

"The filing of charges will allow us to get a warrant of arrest against the suspects," he said.

Rosagas, daughter of Robert Cheng who owns Uratex, and her companions were kidnapped near the UP Law Center last June 18. They were on board a maroon Mercedes Benz when the suspects’ dirty-white Mitsubishi van blocked their path. Another group of suspects, on board a Toyota Corolla, served as the lookout.

Four of the suspects were clad in police uniforms and they ordered the victims to transfer to the van which later sped-off towards Marikina City.

Two witnesses, Basilio Pancho and Freddie Genove, both UP employees, provided investigators with description of the suspects.

Guillermo told probers that Rosagas’ abduction had been planned as early as 1997, but was only carried out this year.

The victims were released in Alaminos, Laguna 15 hours after they were snatched. Cheng reportedly paid P5 million in ransom.