By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
A POLICE officer who allegedly masterminded the abduction and killing of a businessman in Pasay City in 2017 was apprehended in Cagayan province but managed to flee from the arresting team, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed yesterday.
In a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde confirmed the escape of Superintendent Johnny Orme from the custody of the team from Gonzales Police Station which is under the supervision of the Cagayan Police Provincial Office (PPO).
Orme was tagged as the brains behind kidnap-slay of businessman and casino operator Carlos Tan, 55, in Pasay City in October 2017. He was also allegedly the leader of a kidnap-for-ransom group operating in southern Metro Manila before cooling off in different provinces.
A report reaching Camp Crame said Orme was arrested by police around 8 p.m. last Saturday after he went home in Gonzaga, Cagayan, after a year of hiding.
While on their way to the local police station, Orme requested the arresting team to drop him by in his house because he wanted to change his clothes.
The arresting team agreed to drop him in his house. It was too late when they realized that the suspect had already escaped after waiting for him for several minutes.
Because of the blunder, Albayalde immediately talked to Chief Superintendent Jose Marie Espino, regional director of Police Regional Office 2 in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, about the incident.
“I have talked to the RD (regional director) there and he said that the cops were already relieved from their posts pending the result of an investigation,” Albayalde said.
He, however, refused to give other details about the relieved cops including their names.
“This incident needs to be investigated kasi baka mamaya intentionally pinatakas dahil kasama nila sa serbisyo, aalamin natin,” he added.
Albayalde said he is baffled why the arresting team allowed Orme to change his clothes since the protocol is to bring an apprehended suspect to the local police station for documentation.
The PNP chief noted that Orme had been AWOL (absent without official leave) because of Tan kidnap-slay case and his frequent appearance in casinos, which is a prohibited act for government officials.
