In his report to Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Nilo de la Cruz on January 11, Bataan provincial director Sr. Supt. Manuel Gaerlan identified the rescued victims as Yaesar Irfan, 25, and Ramon Secares, both of Balanga City, during an operation in nearby Hermosa.
At about 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, barely four hours after the Bataan police and Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response Office (Pacer) rescued the victims, arrested three suspects at their hideout in Barangay Cataning, Hermosa. They were Sasenando Martin, Gallardo Martin and Nestor Juliano.
Police said victims pointed at the suspects’ hideout.
De la Cruz instructed the Bataan police to “relentlessly pursue other suspects.”
In a follow-up operation on the same day, Pacer and Bataan agents arrested two more suspects. They were Leonardo Alingcastre, 41, of Barangay Balsic, Hermosa and Ramil Calma, 21, of Guagua, Pampanga.
Police said they were able to recover P5,000 cash from Martin and Juliano which were part of the P500,000 ranson money paid by the victims’ family hours before the rescue operation.
On January 9, eight armed men on board a red SUV vehicle blocked the path of a motorcycle ridden by the two victims.
De La Cruz and his people were able to convince the victims’ families to coordinate with the police and Pacer for the speedy solution of the kidnap case.
