DAVIDE
THE mayor of Minglanilla town is looking into augmenting police visibility in areas near schools and urged parents to be extra watchful of their children.
Mayor Elanito Peña was sad that four of six people initially charged for attempting to lure four Minglanilla Central School pupils into a van last Thursday have been released after the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor did not find enough evidence to charge them during the inquest proceedings.
Peña said that considering what was involved was an alleged attempt to kidnap children, the case was alarming. He urged parents to be more vigilant.
“Nasubo ko kay kuyawan man ta ana nga mga butanga gud,” he said.
( I’m sad because I worry about these types of things.)
According to Peña, last week’s kidnapping alarm in Minglanilla affected the image of their town, considering that the kidnap-killing of 6-year-old schoolgirl Ella Joy Pique which grabbed local headlines in 2011 also occurred in Minglanilla.
Governor Hilario Davide III planned to talk to Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director Senior Supt. Eric Noble about the incident to see what can be done about it.
“We have to protect kay ato man ng obligasyon man pud, labi na mga minors. Morag there’s no kidnapping man kaha that occurred but still we can’t be complacent,” Davide said.
(We have to protect minors, it’s our obligation. But I was told there was no kidnapping that occurred, but still we can’t be complacent.)
According to lawyer Vincent Isles who represents the suspects, only Rhea Mae Sagmon and James Paradela are now facing charges of attempted kidnapping and serious illegal detention, which is considered a single case.
Isles said that Estela Montes, Marian Serenio, Reymart Abobo, and Federico dela Cruz were set free after the inquest prosecutor did not find evidence to charge them together with Sagmon and Paradela.
Sagmon and Paradela were each able to post P120,000 cash bail today and were released from detention.