QC court sentences five to reclusion perpetua for 2005 kidnap-slay of businessman

May 29, 2019

A Quezon City Court sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 40 years in prison five members of a gang, including four former police officers, for the kidnap-slay of a Taiwanese businessman 14 years ago.

The gang's leader, former Patrolman Joel Tapec, and his co-accused namely former Patrolman Alexander Pangilinan, ex-Staff Sgts. Candido Vallejo and Allan Verana, and Ferdinand Gacusan were convicted without parole.

Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219 Judge Janet Abergos-Samar also ordered them to pay heirs of the victim, Michael Chan, P400,000 in civil, moral, exemplary damages, all with an interest rate of six percent per annum until from the date of judgment until it is paid.

Samar also ordered the five transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

In a 63-page decision, the court said “It was proven that the victim was abducted for the purpose of extorting ransom.”

Tapec and his cohorts kidnapped Chan along Katipunan Road in Quezon on Sept. 15, 2005.

Chan's family paid P6 million in ransom, but his body was found in Antipolo City, Rizal.

The court said the defendants failed to show enough proof to back up their claim Chan was the target of an anti-illegal drugs operation

“Not an iota of evidence was proffered by the defense to show that the abduction of the victim was pursuant to a legitimate police operation, or there was a directive from competent authority, or it constitutes one of the circumstances where warrantless arrests is permitted under the Rules of Court,” the ruling stated.

The defendants' relatives cried when they heard the verdict and left the court. DMS