QC Court Convicts 7, Including Ex-Military Personnel, in 2025 Kidnapping Case

Seven individuals, some of them former military personnel, have been convicted by a Quezon City court for the kidnapping of a 78-year-old businesswoman in 2025. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, which means imprisonment of up to 40 years without parole. The court, in a decision dated June 30, also ordered them to pay civil, moral, and exemplary damages to the victim, who was safely rescued after nine days in captivity. Four other accused individuals, who reportedly acted as aides and caretakers, were acquitted as prosecutors failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated, “In just nine months, we were able to [secure] the conviction of seven kidnappers, including the mastermind and former military men.” He added, “This case is proof not only of good planning and conduct of operations but also of efficient case build-up.” According to the PNP, the businesswoman was abducted on September 2, 2025, along C3 Road in Quezon City. Her captors demanded a ransom of P150 million from her family, who are involved in large-scale manufacturing. The family sought police assistance, but authorities initially found it difficult to identify the perpetrators due to the carefully planned nature of the kidnapping. The police later tracked down members of the gang who had taken the victim to Batangas. A breakthrough occurred on September 11, 2025, when the kidnappers escorted the victim to a bank in Quezon City to withdraw P8 million. A call from the bank alerted the police, leading to a rescue operation where the victim was freed and three suspects were arrested. Eight additional suspects, including former military personnel, were apprehended in subsequent follow-up operations. Brigadier General Edwin Balles, acting director of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, said they launched follow-up and hot pursuit operations in various areas, including Bulacan, Cavite, and Metro Manila. Balles mentioned that the suspects had deceived the victim by working in her household as a security guard and driver. Balles added that gathering documentary, testimonial, digital, and forensic evidence was a challenging process. "Those pieces of evidence proved crucial in securing the conviction and ensuring the successful prosecution of the case." Nartatez concluded that the case served as “concrete evidence of what we can achieve in maintaining peace and order through certainty of conviction of those who would dare break the law.”