Cop nabbed, 3 other lawmen hunted for Caloocan kidnap

A policeman was arrested while three others are currently being tracked down after allegedly being involved in a kidnap-for-ransom incident in Caloocan City on Thursday, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Friday. NCRPO chief Police Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said Friday that PO2 Roger Bacanto has been arrested after he and three of his colleagues barged into a house and abducted two people in Bagong Silang in Caloocan City on Thursday night. The kidnap victims have been identified as Julie Ann Espejon, 17, and Jemma Pelagio, 42, he added. Bartolome meanwhile identified the three other cops involved in the incident as PO2 Celedonio Tipon, PO1 Jay Jay Vallente and PO1 Venancio Jayoma Jr. An initial investigation of the incident revealed that the four cops barged into the house and introduced themselves as members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who were sent to confiscate a computer supposedly being used for cybersex operations. The suspects reportedly snatched the two victims and forced them into a van before fleeing to an unknown location, he added. The cops allegedly asked one of the victim’s mother and the owner of the house, Veronica Espejon, for a P100,000 ransom for the release of the two women. Mrs. Espejon immediately reported the incident to elements of the Caloocan police, who launched follow-up operations that led to one of the suspects’ arrest. Manhunt operations have meanwhile been launched to track down the three remaining suspects who remain at large as of posting time, according to Bartolome.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV