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Thursday, February 05, 2004
Abductors of 'trisiboat' drivers in Toril nabbed
By Rex C. Otero
* Suspects seize 3 "trisiboat" drivers in Toril, two of whom escaped from kidnappers' safehouse
* All victims believed to be cellphone snatchers
* 3rd victim yet to be rescued
POLICE arrested Wednesday three kidnappers of "trisiboat" drivers who sought police assistance after they escaped from their captors' safehouse.
The suspects allegedly seized three "trisiboat" drivers in Toril, Davao City at around midnight Tuesday and brought them to their safehouse at Diho Subdivision in Buhangin.
Police said the victims are believed to be cellphone snatchers.
Buhangin police investigator PO3 Joseph Limbaco identified those arrested as: Lando Lopez, 36, of Bankerohan; Michael Fernandez, 21, of Ma-a, and Lito Aries, 28, of Bajada.
Limbaco said the suspects were arrested around 9:40 a.m. in Diho Subd. after two of the three victims, trisiboat drivers Adonis Gadiane, 18 and Ronald Limocon, 18, escaped from suspects' safehouse.
"Ang mga victims dinala nila sa back portion ng Dijo Subd. Naay ilang payag-payag didto. Ang nangyari, walay nagbantay kaya nakatakas ang dalawa and called for police assistance. Pagresponde namin, tumakbo sila and after a brief chase, nahuli din namin (The victims were brought at the back portion of the subdivision where they were kept inside a hut. Two of the victims escaped when their captors were not around and called for assistance. The suspects ran but we were able to catch them)," Limbaco said in a telephone interview.
He said two of the suspects (Fernandez and Aries) were positively identified by the victims.
Limbaco said authorities are conducting a follow up investigation to find out if the suspects are members of an organized kidnap group.
Limbaco said no weapons were recovered from the suspects, but they have yet to recover the van used in abducting the victims who are all residents of Toril.
The third victim who has not been rescued as of presstime, is 16-year-old Bernabe Obiena.
Editha Obiena, the victim's mother, reported the kidnapping incident to the Toril police precinct.
She told police her son and the two other trisiboat drivers were waiting for passengers around midnight Tuesday when unidentified men forced them to board an L-300 van with no plate number.
"Palihog maluoy sila sa akong anak, maluoy tawon mo, bahala'g unsa iyang sala ipakita lang siya sa akoa. Gusto lang nako mauli akong anak ba (Please pity my son. I don't care what crime he committed, just let me see him. I want him back)," Obiena said in an interview over DXAB Wednesday morning.
Limbago said the police are studying the possibility of filing kidnapping with serious illegal detention case against the suspects.
"Pero kung ma-establish nato nga naay mga butang sa mga victims nga gikuha nila, pwede sad robbery ug kung gikuha nila ang mga tricycle sa victims pwede pud carnapping (If we could establish that they stole some of the victims' items, we might file a robbery or carnapping complaint against them)," Limbaco said.
He said the victims are believed to be cellphone snatchers.
More than a week ago, four motorcycle-for-hire drivers were abducted by still unidentified armed men in Ecoland.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said those abducted were suspected carnappers and that they were not kidnapped but are hiding to evade arrest.
Authorities are presently conducting a follow up investigation to apprehend other suspects responsible for the Toril abduction.
(February 5, 2004 issue)
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