File photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police are looking into reports on the alleged abduction of an 18-year-old resident of Sitio Bumbil in the mountain barangay of Lusaran in Cebu City last August 29.
Patrolman Juvenal Boyboy, desk officer at the Adlaon Police Community Precinct, told CDN Digital in a phone interview that they already sent personnel to the victim’s house to talk to him and his parents.
So far, they only managed to speak to the mother since the victim was still unwilling to talk, maybe due to trauma.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said it was important for police investigators to speak to the victim to hear his story.
“Para gyud maklaro ning tanan, dapat siya gyud ang mosulti kay siya man ang nahitabuan. We just gave him consideration for the past days tungod kay medyo murag na-trauma pa,” she said.
And while they wait for the victim’s testimony, Rafter said that ocular inspections were already made on the area where he was reportedly abducted and the place were he may have been taken.
Based on the information that they have so far gathered, Rafter said, the abduction claim was difficult to prove.
“Nag-walk through mi sa iyang giingon nga pagkahitaboan then naa mi murag nakita. Based pa lang sa amoa, murag nga di posible sa iyahang gi-claim (nga abduction),” she said.
Placed inside a sack
During their interview with the victim’s mother, Boyboy said, police investigators were told that her son was grabbed by three still unidentified suspects, who were all wearing bonnets, and was placed inside a sack.
The incident happened at around 7 p.m. on August 29.
Boyboy said that the victim was reportedly loaded on a motorcycle and brought to an area located near a cell site in Barangay Lusaran.
According to the mother, her son managed to escape the next day or on Wednesday morning and returned to their home at around 10 a.m.
The victim was said to be crying when he returned home as he also had injuries on his head.
Police investigation
“Sa pagkakaron, naningkamot pa gyud mi nga mahinabi pud namo siya,” Rafter said.
Rafter said it was important for the victim to cooperate with the police to help them determine what actually happened to him and identify those who were responsible for his alleged abduction.
During their ocular inspection, Rafter said that police investigators saw that the cell site in Barangay Lusaran was located in an area that was impossible to reach even by motorcycle. One has to walk to get there.
Still, Rafter said they are giving the victim and his family the benefit of the doubt. They will continue to investigate the case and wait for the victim to speak to the police.
Meanwhile, Rafter is urging Cebuanos to be responsible when using social media. Instead of posting unverified information, the possible occurrence of crimes should be reported to authorities.
“Among gihangyo ang tanan nga para gyud maundang nato na or kung naa man gani nahitabo, dangop mo sa atoang kapulisan. Dili lang man pud kay kami ang pulis, pwede pud modangop sa lain pa nato nga ahensya sa gobyerno,” she added. / dcb
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