Kidnapping brains traced to NBP

MANILA, Philippines — The alleged mastermind of the kidnapping of a steel trading firm owner in Laguna was traced to the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison, officials said yesterday.

The police Anti-Kidnapping Group arrested four suspects – Ronald Piloton, Joseph Hibek, Michael Austria and Jowie Talagsad – who said they took orders directly from convicted kidnapper Tyrone dela Cruz to kidnap Huang Bo Yu, AKG chief Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao said.    

Huang, owner of Star Stainless Store in Barangay Banlic in Cabuyao, was taken by unidentified armed men who also took P85,000 from his store on June 24.

Dumlao said the kidnappers initially demanded P15 million but settled for P2.5 million.

The four alleged kidnappers were arrested by the AKG in an operation three days later.

Dela Cruz negotiated for Huang’s release through a cell phone smuggled into the national penitentiary, Dumlao said.

Dela Cruz was shot in the spine when he figured in a running gunbattle with the AKG in 2017. He was convicted for a kidnapping case and transferred to the NBP late last year.

Dela Cruz’s alleged right hand is Marlon Sangalang, a policeman dismissed in 2008 on drug charges.

“He was arrested in Calamba, Laguna on Feb. 18 for illegal drugs. He immediately posted P800,000 bail bond. He paid it in cash,” Dumlao said.

The Calabarzon police is investigating why Sangalang was able to post bail.

Dela Cruz allegedly told the suspects where to keep the victim and how to collect the ransom, Dumlao said. The operation was planned in prison, with his cohorts posing as visitors, according to ABS-CBN.

A Bureau of Corrections inspector who was about to retire allegedly smuggled in cell phones to Dela Cruz in exchange for P6,000 for each unit, BuCor chief Ronald dela Rosa claimed.