Charges for kidnapping have been filed in court against two men who had been charged with the rape and slaying of seven-year-old Geraldine Palma, whose body, stuffed inside a suitcase, had been dumped in Manila Bay in 2007.

Accused before the Manila regional trial court (RTC) in the abduction for ransom of Palma on Aug. 11, 2007 were Renato M. Bohol, 43, and Joey I. Nodalos, 25, both from Purok 3, Isla Puting Bato, Tondo, Manila.

The charges have been consolidated with the case against the two for rape with homicide being heard before Manila RTC Branch 5 in connection with Palma's slaying. The two men are presently detained at the Manila City Jail for the complex crime, which is non-bailable.

Asst. City Prosecutor Teresa D. Escobar-Pilares, who filed the information in court, said in her resolution that witnesses had positively identified the two men as among those who gang raped and then strangled dead Palma with an electrical wire at an isolated portion of Dulo, Isla Puting Bato, Tondo, Manila on the evening of Aug. 13, 2007.

The victim's father, Gerald C. Palma, told police investigators Geraldine's "yaya" (nanny), Maritess Ontog, left the family residence at 136 4th St., Riverside Village, Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Pasig City with her charge on the afternoon of Aug. 11. Less than a couple of hours later, Palma said, a man called him on his cellular phone demanding R10 million for the release of the two; however, nobody showed up to the arranged meeting place to collect the ransom money.

According to Pilares, another witness surfaced and attested to seeing Bohol fetch Ontog from the Manila Film Center early morning of Aug. 13.