Anti-kidnapping Group probes missing man, suspect killed in Minglanilla shootout

An suspected kidnapper was killed in an encounter with personnel from the Minglanilla Police Station and the Anti-Kidnapping Group in Central Visayas (AKG-7) in Sitio Bantayan, Barangay Tungkop, in Minglanilla Cebu late Sunday night, July 5, 2020.| Photo from Minglanilla Police

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Members of the Anti Kidnapping Group in Central Visayas (AKG-7) are still investigating the incident of a missing man believed to have been ‘abducted’ in Barangay Banilad, here, last June 2, 2020.

One of the suspects of the ‘abduction’ was said to be the man killed in the encounter with the Minglanilla Police and AKG-7 personnel last Sunday, July 5.

Police executive Master Sergeant Zosimo Ravanes of AKG-7 said that they were still gatheirng testimonies of witnesses and friends based on the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage found in one of the parking lots where the missing man was last seen.

Read: Kidnap suspect killed in encounter with cops in Minglanilla

In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Ravanes said that the man (suspect in the kidnapping) killed in the encounter last Sunday and identified as Jovani Bogo, was seen in the CCTV footage approaching two SUV vehicles believed to be owned by the suspects parked in an area in Barangay Banilad where the abduction happened.

“We are still gathering statements from witnesses. Missing gihapon ang lalaki (The man is still missing), ongoing gihapon ang investigation (the investigation is still ongoing),” said Ravanes.

Ravanes said that they were able to trace Bogo and was supposed to monitor his movements when the encounter happened.

He said it was found out later that Bogo was a high-value target (HVT) for illegal drug trading listed in Minglanilla Police drug watchlist.

Ravanes said they would be looking into the possible involvement of illegal drugs in the case as well./dbs