Dismissed cop arrested for kidnapping, escapes in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY — A dismissed police superintendent, who was implicated in the kidnapping and murder of a Chinese casino junket operator last year, was arrested on Saturday night only to escape on Sunday at Gonzaga town in Cagayan province.

Johnny Lapat Orme was arrested at 10:30 p.m. onboard a fishing boat in Barangay Callao.

At 11 a.’m., Orme asked the police officers to allow him to secure clothes from his home before they transport him to the Cagayan police office in Tuguegarao.

Orme allegedly escaped using the back door, according to Senior Supt. Warren Tolito, Cagayan provincial police director.

Chief Insp. Jayson Cabauatan, the Gonzaga police chief who led the arrest, was relieved from duty because of Orme’s escape.

Tolito said a manhunt operation has been launched against Orme, who was indicted in 2017 for the abduction and death of casino junket operator Carlos Abad Tan.

His alleged accomplice, Senior Police Officer 1 Benjamin Pagarigan of the Quezon City police, had surrendered to the police. Another accomplice, Alex Gozun, remained at large.

Orme was also questioned in May last year for allegedly bungling the arrest of a suspected drug dealer at a police operation in Paranaque City last year./lb