Sunday, February 11, 2007
Barbers escapes kidnap try
MANILA - A local reporter has foiled the attempt to kidnap Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general manager Robert Dean Barbers and his family in Bauan, Batangas Saturday.
Barbers and his family were on their way to Anilao, Batangas when four armed men blocked their way upon reaching San Jose town and ordered Barbers to step out of the vehicle.
Barbers, who was without any bodyguard, stepped out of the vehicle but a policeman who turned out to be among the kidnappers arrived. Barbers then went back to his vehicle and sped off.
A brief chase ensued until they reached the town of Bauan.
Ben Aclan, consultant of local newspaper, Sun.Star People's Courier, and member of the Batangas Radio Action Center witnessed the incident.
He took a video of the incident and the suspects using his mobile phone. At this point the suspects fled from the scene.
Police Officer 1 Jun Virtusio reported the incident to the Bauan Police Office but Barbers who later arrived at the police station to report the incident identified the policeman as among the armed men who tried to abduct them.
Police later found out that two of the suspects are government forces, a policeman, and a member of the Philippine Air Force.
Bauan Police Director Ferdinand de Castro said two of the four suspects were already arrested and identified them as Virtusio and Gerry Mendoza.
Mendoza was arrested when he was seen outside the police station.
Police later found the suspects' vehicle parked in front of the house of Virtusios's father who happens to be the barangay chief of Lalayak, San Jose town.
The two other suspects who remain at-large were identified as Virtusio's brothers Noel, a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network in Batangas City, and Niño, an Air Force technical sergeant.
Barbers in a television interview said he received quite a number of threats either through text messages or snail mails.
He said he reported these threats to the police but did not put much weight on those, as it could be part of his work and considering the political background of his family in Surigao.
Police suspect that Barbers could have been a victim of "day kidnapping" where the victims were later released by the end of the day after paying the ransom. (MVG/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 11, 2007 issue)
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