MANILA—The group of students suspected to be behind the kidnapping of a 19-year-old allegedly had plans to abduct another student, police said Tuesday.

Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, director of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, said alleged mastermind Jhulius Atabay revealed that he and his group also targeted another classmate.

“Sa revelation ni Atabay . . . may isa pa ring mayaman silang classmate na taga-Nueva Ecija na kikidnapin ’yun. Just imagine kung successful sila rito,” he said.

“Their target — students ng same school, opportunity, target, andu’n na lahat. Mahihirapan tayo d’yan."

Dumlao said the group members are batchmates in high school ages 19 to 20, with Atabay as the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of alias Roy.

Atabay’s alleged accomplices were Ferdinand dela Vega Jr., a schoolmate; cousin Ralph Emmanuel Camaya; and Justin Mahipus, who is a student at College of Saint Benilde.

“Jhulius Atabay as the mastermind. Si Ferdinand dela Vega ang may-ari ng bahay at kasama niya ’yang si Ralph Emmanuel Camaya, ’yan yung nagbabantay doon. Si Justine Mahipus, ito ’yung nag-drive ng van na puti. Inamin din niyang sa kanila ’yung van at pinangakuan siya ng P4 million ni Jhulius,” Dumlao said.

He said the group allegedly planned on forming a fraternity and raising money through kidnapping.

Dumlao said Dela Vega and Camaya were made to believe that the kidnap victim was being initiated.

“Si Ferdinand dela Vega, pinangakuan ’yan ng P40,000 pero allegedly ang sabi ni Jhulius Atabay, initiation lang ito ng frat. ‘ ’Wag niyong papakainin, wag niyong kakausapin,’ ” he said.

“Dalawang araw na, nagdududa na itong si Ferdinand dela Vega. Hindi talagang ganiyan ang initiation.”

Dumlao said the victim was made to suffer.

“Two days siyang nakabalot, pinapainom lang ng ganito. Survivor ’yung bata, iniinom lang niya ang pawis niya,” Dumlao said.

Six suspects remain at large. The PNP-AKG identified them as: Eriej Candava, Billy Rocillo, Miguel Austria and Kim Pascua, who are all students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran; Gabriel Rabi, a Far Eastern University student; and Arvi Velasquez, a student of an aviation school in Parañaque.

“Itong mga at-large, ito ’yung mga kumuha pumugo, ’yung mga may baril. Itong si Eriek Candaba, identified ’yan na may baril. Bali 3 ang may baril diyan, tapos itong isa, Miguel Austria, may sasakyan din ’yan na Everest, ginamit din ’yan. Pinangakuan ng tig-P1 million, so P22 million ang maiiwan kay Jhulius Atabay,” he said.

Dumlao said the group made three attempts before they got to the victim.

“Magkaklase sila sa isang subject lang. Nagtataka itong (ang biktima), hindi na pumapasok ’yan si Atabay. Itong lately, pumasok ng last subject, pero parang 4 days before, July 25, in-attempt na ’yan na kinuha, nakatakbo lang, hindi alam ng biktima na mga classmate niya pala ang kukuha,” he said.

Dumlao said Atabay and the other students just wanted the money.

“Ang sabi niya, P150 lang ang allowance niya, PE teacher lang ang tatay (niya), P150 ang ibinibigay. Gusto niyang magkapera,” Dumlao said.

“Even ’yung iba tinatanong namin casually, sinasabi nila, ‘Gusto ko ring magka-7 digits’. ‘Yun lang ang motivation nila, more in trip, naghangad ng pera."

Dumlao expressed relief over the capture of the suspects.

“Nakakatakot nga, meron pa silang titirahin na taga-Nueva Ecija na classmate nila. Imagine kung nakakuha sila ng P30 million, paano pa resources? Magiging sophisticated ’yan. To think na mga estudyante, hindi mo paghihinalaan,” Dumlao said.

The PNP-AKG went to Colegio de San Juan de Letran to ask for records of the students involved in the kidnapping but the school administration refused to give any information.

In a letter addressed to AKG, the school administrator said: “I am afraid that we cannot accede to the request of the PNP even though it is [in] connection with an ongoing investigation unless there is a court order directing the Colegio to make a disclosure.”

“What the Colegio can do in consonance with its duty to cooperate with investigating agencies is to serve whatever notice or invitation that PNP would issue and which are intended for them but other than that we cannot disclose personal information pertaining to these students without their consent,” the letter read.