7 men get life for 2003 kidnapping

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MANILA, Philippines — A Quezon City court on Monday meted out life sentences to seven men accused of kidnapping a woman for a ransom of over P200,000 nine years ago.

The court found guilty John Galicia, Roger Demetilla, Leopoldo Sariego, Carlito Ugat Jr, Eliseo Villarino, Napoleon Portugal and Roger Chiva for abducting Venilda Ho.

An accomplice, Ho’s driver Amelito Billiones, was sentenced to 10 to 17 years behind bars.

In a 44-page decision promulgated on Monday, Judge Edgar Dalmacio Santos of Regional Trial Court Branch 222 ordered the principal accused to pay the victim P175,000 in moral damages while Billiones was told to pay P25,000.

Court records showed that Ho identified the accused as her kidnappers while her husband, William, named them as the ones who received the ransom.

Ho was onboard a Mitsubishi L-300 van driven by Billiones along Araneta Ave. on the evening of May 8, 2003 when the accused blocked their vehicle’s path and seized the victim.

Ho was was first brought to a house in Las Piñas City and then transferred to another house in East Kamias, Quezon City.

Court records showed that she was held captive there until Ho was rescued by police operatives on May 22, 2003.

The accused allegedly demanded a P50-million ransom but the victim’s husband William negotiated it down to P224,500.

Despite the delivery of the money on May 14, 2003 along South Super Highway in Muntinlupa City, Ho was not released as her captors demanded more.

This led Ho’s husband to seek help from authorities.

On May 22, 2003, Billiones, Demetilla and Sariego were nabbed by the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response, which rescued the victim. Villarino and Chiva were later arrested in Parañaque City while Galicia and Portugal were caught in a separate operation.