Two former policemen tagged as suspects in the abduction of a master agent of online cockfighting in Laguna have surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Rigel Brosas and Daryl Paghangaan gave themselves up to the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group last Thursday after a series of negotiations, according to IMEG chief Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon.
“Our Team (in Calabarzon) have convinced these two former PNP personnel to surrender and stop putting the image of the PNP in a bad light,” De Leon said in a statement.
He said Brosas, 19, turned himself in while Paghangaan surrendered five hours later at the Liliw municipal police station in Laguna.
Government prosecutors earlier found probable cause to file kidnapping and robbery charges against Brosas and Paghangaan, along with their colleague Roy Navarette, for the alleged abduction of Ricardo Lasco of San Pablo City who remained missing since August 30, 2021.
Navarette is still at large and now the object of a police manhunt.
The three were accused of taking cash and other valuables from Lasco’s home.
Lasco’s kin have identified the suspects.
On Jan. 17, San Pablo City regional trial court Judge Luvida Padolina Roque issued a warrant of arrest against the suspects for alleged robbery and set bail at P400,000 each. No bail was recommended on the kidnapping case.
“Now that they have surrendered, we expect them to cooperate and disclose all they know regarding the abduction of Mr. Lasco,” said PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo.