Nueva Ecija cops arrested for kidnap-slay of online seller
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police vowed justice for the family of an online seller who was kidnapped and killed by five police officers and two civilian accomplishes in Nueva Ecija last July 20.
The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, earlier reported that 35-year-old online seller Nadia Casar and a Grab driver she hired were kidnapped by five men in Barangay Tagpos, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija in July.
The Grab driver was robbed of his phone and cash and eventually released by the kidnappers the next day, but the burnt body of Casar was found stuffed in a sack and buried in a shallow grave on Sunday, August 1, at Sitio Pinagpala in Barangay Imelda Valley, Palayan City.
"We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Nadia Casar and your police promise a clean, speedy and thorough investigation into the incident to hold the perpetrators accountable and punish them," Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, said in Filipino.
READ: Kidnapped woman found dead
Eleazar said that three cops and two civilians have already been arrested and indicted for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, namely:
- Police SSgt. Benedict Matias Reyes, assigned to the Sta. Rosa Municipal Police Station in Nueva Ecija;
- Police SSgt. June Malillin, of the Palayan City Police Station;
- Police Cpl. Julius Alcantara, of the Nueva Ecija Provincial Police Office Drug Enforcement Unit;
- Franklin Macapagal
- Dario Robarios
This comes after the PNP held a dialogue with Casar’s sister Mosripa Casar and family relatives Fahad Tambara, Datu Bong Alonto, and lawyer Al Razul Sultan at the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame.
Despite the evidence, the PNP still referred to the incident as an alleged kidnapping and killing.
"This kind of work is unacceptable in our organization. We should be the ones providing protection and not the ones killing the lives of civilians," Eleazar added.
Meanwhile, Police MSgt. Rowen Martin, assigned to the Cabanatuan City Police Station; and Police SSgt. Drextemir Esmundo, assigned to the Cabiao Municipal Police Station have surrendered to their chiefs and are now under restrictive custody.
"These suspects were identified by a witness to the crime, so we have strong evidence to file charges and put them behind bars," Eleazar said.
Other killings by police still pending resolution
Though the PNP takes action in cases of high-profile killings perpetrated by cops, it continues to drag its feet in the alleged murders of activists.
Police leadership then points to past cases as proof that lapses on the part of cops are "promptly addressed," but continue to deny what critics say is a culture of violence and impunity within the police organization.
In most cases of police abuse, Eleazar routinely appeals to the public to let the investigations take their course before making conclusions on the incidents.
READ: After murder of Laguna teenager, PNP chief says police lapses are 'promptly addressed'
Late July saw two activists in Albay shot dead by cops after the two were found spraying protest graffiti on a wall. Cops claimed they were armed and fought back. Rights groups said they didn't need guns to spray protest art.
Less than a week later, Buenavista Municipal police gunned down a woodchopper in front of his son, claiming he attacked them with a bolo knife.
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