Face of man tagged in foiled abduction of 4 kids in Lapu-Lapu caught on CCTV – police

This is the man, who allegedly tried to force four minors to his apartment in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City. Part of his face was caught by a CCTV footage in the area where he met the minors in Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City. | Lapu-Lapu Police Office via Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU City, Philippines — Police are hoping that they can arrest soon the unidentified man, who is tagged in the July 23 foiled abduction of four minors in Lapu-Lapu City.

Lapu-Lapu City police said that there could be a possibility for them to catch the culprit after they secured a CCTV footage showing a part of the face of the suspected abductor.

READ: Minors in Lapu-Lapu escape alleged abduction 

Cartographic sketch to be made

Police Lt. Col. Christian Torres, chief of the City Investigation Detection and Management Unit (CIDMU) of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said that they planned to make a sketch of the full face of the man.

“Pwede ta mo-hire og cartographic sketch artist para masumpayan ang ibabaw ug ubos sa iyang nawong (nga nakuhaan sa CCTV footage),” Torres said.

(We can hire a cartographic sketch artist so that we can add the upper part and the lower part of his face (that was caught on the CCTV footage.))

READ: Lapu-Lapu police chief: Probe on alleged attempt to abduct minors ongoing

Public help needed

Torres was hoping that the cartograhic sketch of the unidentified suspected abductor would produce results and would lead to the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.

He also encouraged the public to inform them if they knew something about the person caught in the CCTV, or if they recognized this suspected abductor of the four minors.

In addition to this, he said that they would also coordinate with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, after they found out that the motorcycle that the suspected abductor was using was registered in that area.

READ: Attempted kidnapping of young girls: Lapu-Lapu dad urges police to nail suspect

NBI parallel probe

Aside from this, Torres said that the Lapu-Lapu police also welcomed the parallel investigation that would be conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Gi-welcome ta na, pwede ra gyud sila mohimo og parallel investigation,” Torres said.

(We welcomed that. They can conduct a parallel investigation [on this abduction case].)

The NBI will investigate the alleged foiled abduction and a possible human trafficking of persons involving four minors after family members of the victims sought the help of the law enforcement agency.

READ: Another alleged abduction in Lapu-Lapu reported

How it happened

Initial police investigation showed that the four minors were offered a modeling job where they would allegedly be models for a milk tea brand in exchange of a big amount of money.

The suspected abductor took the four victims to an apartment in Barangay Bankal in Lapu-Lapu City where they were forced to get inside his room. However, the four minors resisted and eventually managed to escape from the man.

READ: 3 vloggers nabbed in Las Piñas for viral kidnapping video prank

Parents urged to monitor kids

Authorities, who investigated the incident, found chains, cable ties, wires and construction materials such as a rod and shovel in the apartment.

Amid the alleged foiled abduction, Torres again reminded parents to always monitor their children so that they would avoid being victimized by human traffickers.

READ MORE: 9-month-old baby abandoned in Lapu-Lapu