5 PDEA AGENTS, FIRE OFFICER NABBED FOR KIDNAP, EXTORT

Antikidnapping personnel arrested five agents of the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and a member of the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) for their alleged involvement in kidnapping, robbery and extortion.

Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes, concurrent head of the National
Antikidnapping Task Force (NAKTF), identified the suspects as Elmer
Avancena, Jaime Popioco, Eric Nazareno, Gil Grefaldeo and Nolasco Taytay,
all PDEA agents, and Geroso Jaymalin of BFP. Their alleged leader, Tony
Jabalo, eluded arrest and is being hunted by authorities.

The suspects were arrested by personnel from the NAKTF, the Armed Forces'
Anticrime Task Force and the National Police's Antidrugs Special Operations
Task Force for allegedly abducting Rizaldo Policarpio of barangay Bangkal,
Makati City, on August 1 near his house.

Reports said the group called the victim's father Alfonso and demanded a
ransom of P150,000.

Alfonso reported the matter to authorities, who immediately set up an
entrapment operation.

Following negotiations between Alfonso and the kidnappers, the latter
agreed to meet him on August 9 somewhere on Evangelista Street, also in
Bangkal.

There, the suspects arrived onboard a white Toyota Revo with license plate
XJH-776, unaware that police agents were already positioned in the area.

Avancena alighted from the vehicle and met with Alfonso. As soon as he
received the marked money from the victim's father, policemen pounced on
Avancena and his cohorts.

Besides the ransom, the agents seized from the suspects six assorted
firearms and ammunition. Charges of kidnapping, robbery and extortion have
been filed against the suspects.