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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Nalzaro: That ‘kidnapping’ case
By Bobby Nalzaro
I can only laugh at the finding of police investigators on the alleged “kidnapping” of the son of a wealthy and prominent family two weeks ago.
Police probers dismissed the claim that Robert Philip Urgello was a victim of a kidnap-for-ransom operation. The case does not even fall under abduction, they said.
So did the media sensationalize the incident or did Urgello, for one reason or another, invent and concoct stories to make it appear he was kidnapped?
Robert Philip’s parents reacted angrily to the police claim that the incident was a purely family matter. The father, Roberto, even commented sarcastically that until he read the papers he didn’t know that his family had problems.
But even I myself could not believe that the incident involving Robert Philip was a kidnap-for-ransom case. Kidnappers are not foolish to release their victim in a matter of two hours without getting any ransom.
The lives of kidnappers are always at stake when they operate. So, why would they release their victim just like that?
Initial reports said that two unidentified men seized Robert Philip, a 20-year-old nursing student, at the premises of Chong Hua Hospital at around 6 in the morning of July 21. He supposedly was forcibly dragged into a gray Honda car that sped off towards B. Rodriguez St.
The victim later claimed that he was blindfolded and was brought somewhere in Mandaue. But two hours later, he added, his abductors released him unharmed after he pleaded for mercy.
But two witnesses told police investigators it possibly was not a kidnapping case. A car watcher-dispatcher who was at the vicinity of Chong Hua Hospital said that he saw Robert Philip and his “abductors” talk with each other like they were friends.
The witness said he saw Robert Philip alight from a red Mazda sports car. He initially thought the victim was a woman because of his breast. He later supposed that the person was gay.
The witness added that Robert Philip and one of the “abductors” held hands while walking towards a waiting Honda City. Urgello refused to get inside the car but he was pushed.
Another witness, a female worker of a handicraft firm in Casuntingan, Mandaue City, told investigators that she saw two persons, one of whom appeared gay, walk near their factory. She said the man touched the waist of his gay-looking companion as they hailed a taxi.
She noted that the two were very friendly.
Based partly on the said testimonies, the police concluded that the incident was not kidnap-for-ransom case. However, they hesitated to divulge to the public their findings so as not to embarrass the victim and his family.
Well, what can the police do if it was really what they found in that much-publicized “kidnapping” case? They should tell the truth no matter who gets embarrassed.
(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com/ 0918-2198333)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 2, 2006 issue)
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