Suspect in kidnap of bank exec, trader nabbed

CABANATUAN CITY—An executive of a bank here and a businesswoman were abducted by seven armed men in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, on Thursday but were freed unharmed later that day after one of the suspects was arrested by policemen, police on Saturday said.

The Nueva Ecija police launched an operation to save Aurelio Villaflor, 62, executive vice president of the GM Bank branch in this city, after Jesus Lazo, head of the bank’s security and safety department, sought their help on Thursday.

But Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, Nueva Ecija police director, said Villaflor and his companion, Evangeline Urgente, 37, a resident of Talavera town, were in good physical condition when they reached the bank on Thursday afternoon.

Nieves said the abductors abandoned Villaflor and Urgente in an undisclosed place in the province after they learned that one of their companions was arrested.

In his statement to the police, Villaflor said they were on their way to Barangay La Torre in Talavera on board his Honda CRV when a blue Toyota Revo, with seven armed men aboard, blocked their path in Barangay (village) Dinarayat in that town.

Villaflor said the suspects handcuffed him. Later, they blindfolded him and Urgente and wrapped their hands with tape.

Villaflor said the suspects demanded P5 million from him. They later asked him to call the bank’s employees and instruct them to prepare the money.

Lazo told investigators that he received a telephone call from Villaflor at about 8 a.m. on Thursday asking him to prepare P3.5 million for his “emergency use.” Before Lazo could inquire further, Villaflor hung up.

Lazo said he became suspicious when he received another call from Villaflor a few minutes later begging for money. This time, Villaflor reduced the amount to P400,000 and asked Lazo to bring the money to the parking lot of a shopping mall on San Roque Street here at 2 p.m.

Nieves said the Nueva Ecija police posted personnel in the drop-off area, leading to the arrest of John del Rosario, 36, who received the money from Lazo.

Police said Del Rosario, a resident of Palayan City, identified the leaders of the group as Rodel Vallagar and Jun Sakydoro, who are still at large. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon