Remulla vows to revisit KFR cases

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has vowed to look into kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) cases that have long been pending at his department.

Remulla made the promise in a press briefing over the weekend after being informed that a complaint is “silently” being “monitored by the Fil-Chinese community, some of whose members were allegedly KFR victims.”

“Why don’t you give me the details, and I will ask Assistant Secretary [Mico] Clavano to look into this,” Remulla told reporters when informed about the cases.

One of the cases mentioned was the KFR complaint filed by a Chinese businessman against his former business partner, which has been awaiting action for the last six months.

Records show that on July 7, 2023, the complainant, Eric Lim, a Chinese businessman, filed a kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaint against Richard Lim, who is also known by his initials “RL” in the Fil-Chinese community.

The complaint docketed as NPS-XVI-NPS-23G-00297 alleged the incident took place on Aug. 19, 2022, while the victim was vacationing at a beach resort in Batangas.

It was among the earliest incidents of kidnapping that took place under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The victim claimed that armed men took him and his driver at gunpoint and drove them away from the beach resort using his own luxury van.

During the ride, Eric claimed he and his driver were physically manhandled by their captors, who he claimed to be policemen in civilian uniforms. Their captors demanded P4 million for their release.

Although he managed to negotiate and lower the amount to P2 million, Eric claimed the payoff took a difficult twist after the two employees he contacted to bring the money failed to follow the instructions of his abductors.

Eric said he and his driver ended up at a police station in Taguig, where they were detained until he was freed on Sept. 14, 2022.

He said it was after they were brought to the Taguig Police Station that it dawned on him that their abductors were operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in civilian clothes. It was also at the police station that the P2 million demanded from him was brought by his employees.

However, despite the payoff, Eric claimed he was not freed.

Eric said he learned that the cause of all his troubles was his business partner, “Linjin/RL,” who claimed to have powerful connections not only with the PNP but with other agencies of the national government.

He said Linjin/RL told him that P100 million was needed for his safe release. RL also allegedly threatened to kill Eric and his family through a “death squad.”

“They kept repeating to me the same line of demand: If I give P100 million, I can go free immediately. If not, they will see to it that I will be killed inside this prison,” reads part of Eric’s complaint.

To secure his release, Eric claimed he was forced to turn over to RL the contents of his personal metal safety deposit that was brought to him at the police station containing “valuable documents,” such as car registration, immigration documents, blank checks, land titles used as loan collaterals, and indeterminate amounts of different currencies.

Eric said he was also forced to turn over to RL all his shares at an online gaming company where he and Linjin/RL were partners.

He added that through the efforts of his brother, “Tony,” they were able to raise the P100 million that RL demanded by borrowing from their friends.

The money was delivered to RL’s residence by Tony’s personal driver on Sept. 7, 2022. The driver executed an affidavit confirming he delivered a huge amount of money to RL’s residence in support of Tony’s claim.

A week later, on Sept. 14, 2022, Eric was released.

Eric claimed that it took him nearly a year to recover from his experience and muster the courage to seek justice, the reason why he only filed the complaint last July 2023.

“I am filing this complaint/ affidavit borne out of good faith and renewed hope in this new Philippine government… My lawyers keep assuring me that ‘justice under the current [Marcos] leadership is not a false hope but a golden opportunity to hold the guilty accountable for their grievous crimes,’” he said.

The accused, in a counter-affidavit, denied the allegations against him.