THE family of the eight-year-old Filipino-Korean girl kidnapped and put in a suitcase in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City, is set to file charges against the suspect, Godie Flor Rama, by Monday, Aug. 14, 2023.
Maj. Romeo Caacoy Jr., chief of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Station 2, told SunStar Cebu Saturday, Aug. 12, that the family would file kidnapping and serious illegal detention, among other charges.
Caacoy said they are yet to receive a copy of the child’s medical and psychological tests and the suspect Rama’s drug test result, which would determine if other charges will be filed. The tests were conducted Friday, Aug. 11.
The victim’s mother reported her child missing on Thursday afternoon.
Police then conducted a hot pursuit operation and rescued the minor inside an apartment 500 meters from her residence rented by Rama at least three hours after.
The child was unharmed but sustained minor scratches as her hands and feet were tied while her mouth was covered with packaging tape. She had also tried to escape from the suitcase.
Based on the initial investigation, the child went out of their apartment complex to buy drinks in a sari-sari store owned by her aunt nearby when the suspect grabbed her, forced her into one of the apartment’s empty rooms and put her in a suitcase.
CCTV footage of Rama showed him getting out of the apartment dragging the suitcase believed to contain the child.
Authorities believe that Rama, who is the caretaker of the apartment complex, could have had malicious intent toward the child, the reason he kidnapped her.
In an interview Friday at the Subangdaku Police Station, however, Rama denied this, saying he just let the child eat and play games while he was with her.
He explained he committed the crime to retaliate against the child’s grandfather for accusing him of theft, stressing he just wanted to let the girl’s relatives experience the pain he had felt due to their accusations. He said he planned to return the child six hours later.