5 Nueva Ecija cops linked to kidnap-slay of online seller
MANILA, Philippines — Five Nueva Ecija police officers and two civilians were linked to the kidnapping and murder of an online seller whose body was later found charred, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.
PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said PSSg Benedict Matias Reyes, PSSg June Malillin, PCpl Julius Alcantara, PMsg. Rowen Martin, and PSSg Drextemir Esmundo, along with Franklin Macapagal and Dario Robarios, were linked to the kidnapping and murder of online seller Nadia Casar, according to PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG).
“Ang mga ganitong utak kriminal at sagad sa buto ang kasamaan ay nababagay mabulok sa kulungan,” Eleazar said in a statement.
(These criminal-minded people who are wicked to the bone deserve to rot in prison.)
Initial investigation by the AKG revealed that Casar and a Grab driver were kidnapped by at least five men last July 20, Tuesday afternoon, in Barangay Tagpos in Sta. Rosa town in Nueva Ecija.
The Grab driver was robbed of his cellphone along with P4,500 in cash but was released the day after.
Casar’s body, however, was only found on Sunday at Sitio Pinagpala, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, where it was buried by the suspects, according to the AKG.
The five police officers and the two civilians were identified by a witness, according to the AKG.
The police said Reyes, Malillin, Alcantara, and Robarios are now in custody while Martin, Esmundo, and Macapagal remain at large.
Eleazar ordered the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service to begin the summary dismissal proceedings against the five police officers while the AKG and the PNP’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) were also tasked to hunt down the other suspects who remain at large.
The PNP chief also sent his condolences to Casar’s family as he vowed to give swift justice for her death.
“Ako mismo ang tututok sa kasong ito at sisiguraduhin ko na haharapin ng mga bugok na pulis na ito ang kaso laban sa kanila sa korte at pananagutan ang kanilang ginawang krimen,” he stressed.
(I will personally look into this case and will make sure that these rotten eggs will face justice in court and be accountable for their crimes.)
