QC court convicts 5 in 2013 kidnapping of minors

A Quezon City court convicted five individuals for the kidnapping-for-ransom of two minors in Cubao in July 2013.

The QC Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 94 found John Mark Tamalla, Jomel Tamalla, and Bernard Pating guilty of kidnapping for ransom, sentencing them to 40 years in prison without eligibility for parole.

Ma. Theresa Licay and Ma. Andrea Branzuela were convicted as accomplices and sentenced to up to 17 years imprisonment.

The victims, aged 10 and 15 at the time, were abducted by armed suspects while onboard a vehicle cruising along EDSA.

A nationwide alarm filed by their mother helped authorities track down the vehicle, leading to the arrest of the suspects and recovery of the victims, with no ransom paid.

The accused were ordered to jointly and severally pay the victims P100,000 each in civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages.

The case against Resty Branzuela was dismissed due to his death, while Rogel Domingo, Jr. and Ephraim John Evangelista remain at large.