Dumanjug Mayor Gungun Gica (center) announces that he will be dangling a cash reward of P100,000 to anyone who can help them arrest thieves that took off valuables from a house in Brgy. Lawaan on August 8, 2022 | Screengrab from Dumanjug PIO FB video
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Dumanjug Mayor Efren ‘Gungun’ Gica urged his constituents to practice caution and remain vigilant despite no confirmed incidents of abduction and kidnapping in their municipality.
In a phone interview with CDN Digital on Thursday, August 25, 2022, Gica clarified that no abduction, kidnapping, and similar crimes took place in the town.
“We have received reports of habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers and other motorists offering free rides to students but there are no instances of abduction and kidnapping in our town,” Gica said in Cebuano.
Gica made this clarification after its municipality’s Public Information Office (PIO) directed the public, particularly students, to be wary of drivers and suspicious individuals giving free rides.
The statement came at a time when unverified and unofficial reports of abduction and kidnapping circulated on social media, and during the days leading to the first day back to school.
“In the meantime, we urge everyone to practice caution. And be vigilant,” added Gica.
Police in Cebu assured the public that there are no reported and verified kidnapping and attempted kidnapping incidents not only in the island province but also in the entire Visayas region.
The Anti-Kidnapping Group Visayas Field Unit earlier said that posts alleging kidnapping and attempted kidnapping in Cebu circulating on social media recently were the same ones previously shared in the past years.
/bmjo
RELATED STORIES
Mayor Gica: No abduction, kidnapping in Dumanjug
Students in Dumanjug urged to be wary of strangers offering free rides
AKG-VFU: No reports of kidnapping in the region so far