TWO policemen in Nueva Ecija accused of kidnapping and murdering a businesswoman in Sta. Rosa municipality before burning her body to hide their crime were arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
PNP-CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. identified the two accused as Staff Sgt. June Mallillin of the Palayan City Police Station, and Master Sgt. Rowen Martin, a member of the Cabanatuan City Police Office.
Officers of the CIDG-Nueva Ecija Provincial Field Unit arrested the two on Thursday inside the Cabanatuan City Regional Trial Court Branch 24 on orders of Judge Ana Marie Joson-Viterbo.
Caramat said the judge found the two accused guilty for kidnapping-for-ransom with homicide under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code and sentenced them to jail.
“Nakatanggap ng tawag ang ating mga tauhan sa Nueva Ecija mula sa nasabing korte upang ipaalam na sila ay maglalabas nga ng kanilang hatol laban sa mga akusado. Nagpunta naman agad ang ating tauhan doon, kumuha ng kopya ng joint judgment at isinagawa ang pag-aresto,” said Caramat.
According to the court, the accused and their other co-accused conspired to kidnap and threaten to kill Nadia Motalib Casar for the purpose of demanding a P100,000 ransom from her family.
The suspects later killed, burned and buried the victim’s remains.
Casar and her companion, Grab driver Mark Batac, were abducted by the suspects in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija on July 20, 2021 and detained in an undisclosed location. During her captivity, the woman was instructed by the suspects to call her family to relay their ransom demand in exchange for her freedom.
The kidnappers released the Grab driver unharmed. However, the businesswoman was killed and her burned remains were recovered by the police 13 days later.
