5 EX-PDEA AGENTS HELD FOR KIDNAP

FIVE men from the Presidential Task Force on Illegal Recruitment and a
member of the Bureau of Fire Protection were arrested in Makati City Monday
for their alleged involvement in a series of kidnapping and
robbery-extortion activities.

Nabbed were Elmer Avancena, Jaime Popioco, Eric Nazareno, Gil Grefaldeo and
Nolasco Taytay, said to be former agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency, and fireman Generoso Jaymalin.

The alleged leader of the group identified as Tony Jabalo remains at-large.

Joint operatives from the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and the
Anti-Drugs Special Operations Task Force arrested the suspects in an
entrapment Monday afternoon on Evangelista Street, Barangay Bangkal, Makati
City.

Police said the suspects snatched Policarpio last August 1 near his
residence in Barangay Bangkal.

Rizaldo was released the next day after his father, Alfonso paid P4,000 to
his abductors as "down payment."

But the Policarpios reported the kidnapping incident to AIDSOTF which set up
an entrapment.

When the suspects showed up to collect the rest of the ransom, they were
arrested along with six assorted firearms and ammunition.