Cop facing kidnapping raps killed in ambush

A policeman charged with kidnapping and holding a Korean national for ransom was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Tondo, Manila, shortly after Monday midnight.

Ironically, PO2 Frederick Tolentino was gunned down as he was driving his silver Toyota Altis (XHS 721), one of the two vehicles he and his cohorts used to kidnap Korean businessman Hyun Koo-yeo in Pasay City in April 2014.

In fact, Tolentino was arrested because the victim was able to take note of his car’s license plate. With the help of the National Bureau of Investigation, Tolentino was identified as the vehicle owner and charged with Hyun’s kidnapping. Hyun said he paid the suspects P4 million for his release.

According to case investigator PO3 Michael Maraggun, Tolentino was driving on Quezon Street in Barangay 116, Tondo, at 12:20 a.m. on Monday when three men on two motorcycles shot him.

He was hit five times—the .45-cal. bullets striking him twice in the head and the rest in the back. The 43-year-old policeman died on the spot as the gunmen escaped toward Pacheco Street.

Maraggun said two sheets of paper containing names, addresses and sketches showing the route to the houses of some Chinese nationals were found in Tolentino’s vehicle.

At the time of his death, Tolentino was assigned at the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. It was the same unit he was assigned to when kidnapping charges were filed against him.

In his defense, Tolentino had claimed he thought he was joining a legal police operation against illegal online gambling with Hyun as the target.