Monday, March 10, 2008 Boy escapes capture by bonnet-wearing men By Ernie N. Olson Jr.
A SEVEN-year-old boy and two others escaped from being kidnapped by outsmarting their abductors last Friday in Baguio City, police said.
The foiled abduction of the elementary school pupil, according to police, was allegedly perpetrated by five still unidentified men along Quezon Hill at past noon Friday.
The kidnapping attempt occurred as "false alarms" about a white van roaming Baguio in search of children to kidnap for their internal organs spread around the city through text messaging.
Police said the Grade 1 pupil of the Quezon Hill Elementary School narrated to them how abductors forced him into a van while he was walking back to school with his elder sister.
The boy said his abductors left him inside the van while they reportedly tried to go after two other boys and this gave him the opportunity to escape by jumping from the vehicle and fleeing towards the school, said a report submitted by Chief Inspector Fermoyle Meno, BCPO Station 1 chief.
The boy's sister, who witnessed the incident, sought the help of concerned citizens, who in turn, called for police assistance.
When policemen from BCPO-Station 1 responded to the crime scene, they located the van and discovered that it is owned by Benjamin Panagan Olucan, 36, a driver-mechanic, who resides at 20 Purok 2, Middle Quezon Hill.
Police invited Olucan for questioning and temporarily impounded his van pending the result of their investigation.
Police officer Gideon Bennaguen said they had to release Olucan after he signed a promise-to-appear note drafted by duty inquest prosecutor Gloria Agunos.
