A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy who was allegedly kidnapped at Cogon Public Market on Tuesday, December 26, was rescued by police Wednesday noon at the suspect's house in Barangay Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City.
In a joint rescue operation by personnel of police station 2 in Cogon and the City Economic Enterprises Department (CEED), authorities rescued the victim and arrested the suspect identified as Gerry Caaupan.
Police said the victim, whose parents are vendors at Cogon Market’s second floor, had been alone at his parents’ stall when he was allegedly kidnapped.
The victim's older sister saw the suspect carrying the boy while leaving the market.
Police Officer 1 Jennifer Husayan of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD), said the sister and the mother reported the incident to the police station around 2 p.m., Tuesday.
Husayan said some vendors claimed that the suspect was said to be a parking boy at the market but he has no records at the CEED.
The suspect was spotted at the market Wednedsay, leading to his arrest.
Caaupan presented an identification card as parking boy but this was later found to be fake.
The suspect admitted that he was under the influence of alcohol but denied that he kidnapped the boy.
"As of now under investigation pa gihapon and gitun-an pa ang kaso ipasaka nato," Husayan said.
The suspect is now detained and may likely face kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges. (With reports from Mary Ross Odchigue, Crystel Ann Perpetua and Cyrill Garcia, USTP interns)