Jonathan Frederic De Santos

The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File.

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178462289119720220824-supreme-court-facade-gc-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File.</div>MANILA — The Supreme Court stressed an accused may still be convicted of kidnapping for ransom even if the supposed ransom money is not presented in court.It said evidence can be taken together to prove the crime even without the money.In a decision that the 1st Division promulgated on January 21, the court affirmed the conviction of seven individuals, including one who was a police officer at the time the crime was committed.The case stemmed from the kidnapping in 2004 of a victim who was eventually released after her family paid the kidnappers P500,000.The Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals rejected the defenses of denial and alibi made by the accused.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/13/4-chinese-arestado-ng-nbi-sa-umano-y-kidnapping-for-ransom-biktima-nasagip-sa-para-aque-1803">4 Chinese arestado ng NBI sa umano’y kidnapping-for-ransom; biktima nasagip sa Parañaque</a></div>When the case reached the Supreme Court, the accused argued that their guilt had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt because the prosecution failed to present the ransom money, which got lost while in police custody.The SC however said that even if the money was not presented in court, it does not negate the occurrence of the demand and payment which were both clearly established by testimonial and documentary evidence.The high court noted that the marked money delivered to the kidnappers by the family&#x27;s driver was recovered, based on the testimony of Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response or PACER agents.“Taken together, the evidence on record conclusively establishes all the elements of kidnapping for ransom, warranting the conviction of accused-appellants beyond reasonable doubt,” the court said in the decision penned by Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario.The court also rejected the alleged romantic relationship between the victim and the former police officer.The court said the police officer did not produce any evidence of his claim of a romantic relationship with the victim nor show that the charge of kidnapping was fabricated out of fear of her parents.“Consequently, the Court finds no basis to disturb the uniform findings of the RTC and CA that the alleged romantic relationship was a mere afterthought and that the prosecution&#x27;s evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of accused-appelants for kidnapping for ransom,” the court said.The accused were sentenced to suffer reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole and pay damages to the victim totaling P300,000.

The Supreme Court stressed that even if ransom money was not presented as evidence in court, an accused may still be convicted of kidnapping for ransom.

The Supreme Court stressed that even if ransom money was not presented as evidence in court, an accused may still be convicted of kidnapping for ransom.

SC: Money not essential to proving kidnapping for ransom

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SC: Money not essential to proving kidnapping for ransom

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 21, 2026 04:39 PM PHT

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kidnapping

Supreme Court

ransom money

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