травня
14
MANILA, Philippines – Seven men were sentenced to life imprisonment, while an accomplice, who was their victim’s driver, was also found guilty for kidnapping a woman back in 2009.
Sentenced to reclusion perpetua were John Galicia, Roger Demetilla, Leopoldo Sariego, Carlito Ugat Jr., Eliseo Villarino, Roger Chiva and Napoleon Portugal.
Their accomplice, Amelito Billiones, who was the former driver of Venilda Ho, was sentenced to 10 to 17 years of jail term.
In a 44-page decision, Judge Edgar Dalmacio Santos of the Regional Trial Court Branch 222 in Quezon City also ordered all the accused to pay the victim for moral damages with the principals paying P175,000 and the accomplice liable for P25,000.
Court records showed the victim was abducted on the evening of May 8, 2003 along Araneta Avenue, Quezon City while onboard a Mitsubishi L-300 van driven by Billiones.
The victim was then brought to a house in Las Piñas City and then transferred to another house in East Kamias, Quezon City where she was held captive until her rescue by the police on May 22, 2003.
Her captors demanded from the victim’s husband William a P50-million ransom, but following negotiations, the husband delivered on May 14, 2003 the money worth P224,500 along South Super Highway in Muntinlupa City. However, the victim was not released then as her captors demanded more money.
The victim’s husband then sought police assistance and on May 22, 2003 agents of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response then led by Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina rescued the victim and arrested Billiones, Demetilla and Sariego.
Villarino and Chivain were later on arrested in Paranaque City while Galicia and Portigal were arrested in another police operation.
The victim identified the accused as her kidnappers while her husband pointed to them as the men to whom he delivered the ransom.
The Ho couple expressed relief over the court’s decision as they urged other kidnap victims to cooperate fully with the police authorities.
Teresita Ang-See of the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order cited said the case was resolved owing to the cooperation between the victim’s family and the police.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.