Ang See says group watching 11 “tokhang for ransom” cases, Bulacan kidnap-murder

July 10, 2017

The head of a citizens crime watchdog said they are monitoring  11 reported "tokhang for ransom" cases mostly in Binondo and the case of a Filipino-Chinese businesswoman killed with her driver in Bulacan where the reported mastermind is a former mayor.. "There are 11 cases of Chinese nationals, the aim is extortion", said Teresita Ang See, head of Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order in an ambush interview at Camp Crame Monday. Ang See while there have been no kidnap-for-ransom cases for the last two months, which is a “big improvement”, their group has been watching closely the case of the businesswoman after a Quezon City court ordered the suspect freed on bail. The case of Edeltrudes Tan, the owner of a piggery, and her driver who were killed in Angat, Bulacan despite ransom sought by her abductors is "saddening”, said Ang See. "She was kidnapped ( in March). They asked for ransom but they killed her...What happened is they filed a case against  (the Philippine National Police) Anti Kidnapping Group (AKG). They really have the guts,  she said. Apolonio Policarpio Marcelo Jr. a barangay captain in Angat, was arrested by police for kidnapping and killing Tan and her driver, said Ang See. He is detained in Camp Crame. "They are insisting to bail him out. He’s a kidnap-murder ( case). How can you release him? How can you ( seek) habeas corpus?... We promised the AKG our full support and what they did was right. They did not release him because kidnap-for-ransom is a bigger case and  it is non-bailable", she said. Ang See said their group is asking the Supreme Court to check “how come that judge issued bail and their sheriff was insisting at 5 pm to retrieve the suspect.”: In a text message to the Daily Manila Shimbun, Ang See said the Anti-Kidnapping Group”risked court case rather than release suspect.” Prosecutor General Victor Sepulvida  “is often in Davao so he wasn’t able to sign kidnap-murder resolution at once,” added Ang See. She said the case for double kidnap-murder will be filed on Tuesday.  (Alanna Ambi/DMS)