Police ask public not to believe abduction rumor spreading in Toledo City

Parents and school teachers of the City Central School of Barangay Luray 1, Toledo City have raised an alarm over the safety of their children after a rumor spread that a Grade 7 male student was allegedly abducted by unidentified men on board a white SUV at around 8 a.m. today.

Superintendent Samuel Mina Jr., chief of the Toledo City Police Office (TCPO), immediately belied the rumor, their investigated the alleged abduction and found to evidence that it happened.

“Walang katotohanan. But despite this, kailangan maging vigilant at mapagmasid sa paligid. Hindi naman nag pabaya ang ating kapulisan sa seguridad nang publiko (Its not true. But we still need to be vigilant and keep a watchful eye on our surrounding. The police have not been remiss in ensuring the safety of the public),” Said Mina.

However, the supposed victim, accompanied by his parents, had reported the incident to the city police.

The boy, according to the police’s blotter report, claimed he was walking to his school this morning when two persons wearing bonnets emerged from a parked van and allegedly tried to force him to board the vehicle. He said he managed to struggle free and ran away from his abductors.

However, Mina said that the boy might have mistaken some people as abductors because of widespread public fear over false reports involving child abductions that have been circulating in the city since last week.

“The boy must have developed a phobia, meaning that if he could see a van parked in the area it seemed that those on board were kidnappers,” said Mina.

Mina said they also received a report last week that a mother was approached by two unidentified men whose body covered with tattoos who offered to buy for P10,000 her baby that she was carrying in her arms. This woman allegedly claimed that she was saved by a trisikad driver who pretend to be her relative.

The incident allegedly happened outside of the city’s public market, which is actually just a walking distance from the city police station.

With no evidence to prove that these incidents happened, Mina enjoined the public to refrain from spreading on social media the false reports, as it could only create confusion and panic to everyone concerned.

Mina said they found to evidence to indicate that a group of kidnappers is roaming in Toledo City, pointing that the boy who claimed to have escaped an abduction was an unlikely kidnap victim since his father only works as a trisikad driver.

Nonetheless, Mina said, policemen have been deployed in many areas in the city, particularly in schools.

North Central School principal Epetacio Cristuta also belied reports that one of their students narrowly escaped abduction.

He however revealed that parents and guardians now rush to pick up their children from school, which is unusual before the abduction rumors spread.

Cristuta said he has requested the city council to install CCTV at the school’s premises as an added security measure.