Chief, PNP, PGEN RODOLFO S AZURIN JR announces today in a press conference the arrest of three former PNP personnel involved in the kidnapping incident of an e-sabong master agent, Ricardo Lasca, after they surrendered to the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), Team 4A separately on January 19 and 21, 2023.

Citing a report from PBGEN WARREN F DE LEON, Director, IMEG, the arrested suspects were identified as Pat Rigel S Brosas (Dismissed) who surrendered at around 2:45 PM while PCpl Daryl G Paghangaan (Dismissed) surrendered around 7:50 PM on January 19, 2023, and PCpl Roy M Navarette surrendered on January 21, 2023, at 6:30 PM.

All three were the subjects of the Warrant of Arrest issued by Hon. Luvida Padolina Roque, Presiding Judge, RTC Br. 29, San Pablo City, Laguna dated January 19, 2023, for violation of four counts of Robbery with Violence Against or Intimidation of Persons (Art. 294) with bail recommended amounting to PhP400,000.00 and for the crime of Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention (Art. 267 as amended by RA 18 and RA 1084) with no bail recommended.

It can also be recalled that last December 2022, the Department of Justice announced that probable cause was found to indict the aforementioned dismissed PNP personnel hence, the issuance of the Warrant of Arrest.

“After a series of negotiations, our Team 4A has convinced these three former PNP personnel to surrender and already stop putting the image of the PNP in a bad light. They were hesitant at first to come out because of fear for their life and of their families but with the reputation we have established over the years we have managed to convince them. ” PBGEN DE LEON said.

Allegedly, said suspects were involved in a kidnapping incident of an e-sabong master agent, Ricardo Lasco, who was illegally arrested by the suspects pretending to be members of the NBI in his house in Laguna. As of this date, Lasco is still considered “missing” and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group through the Special Task Group “Sabungero” is continuous probing the other 34 cases of missing “sabungero” since 2020.

“May these efforts will remind our kababayans that the PNP, under the leadership of our Chief PNP, PGEN RODOLFO S AZURIN JR, tries its best to cleanse the organization of few undesirable members. The PNP is very serious and concerned in ensuring the Filipino people the kind of service they can trust and depend. Mahirap ngunit walang impossible sa organisasyong nagkakaisa, responsableng komunidad at gabay ng simbahan” D, IMEG added.

Brosas is now under the custody of Rizal Municipal Police Station while Paghangaan is in Liliw Municipal Police Station in the Province of Laguna and Navarette is now under the custody of Calauan MPS, Calauan, Laguna. ###