5 charged with kidnapping in Boljoon

A town councilor and a barangay tanod were charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention after they allegedly held a man whom they suspected of stealing copra from the town official.

Councilor Nephalie Ceballos of Boljoon town and tanod Margarito Apoya of barangay Poblacion, Boljoon, were named respondents of the case filed by Erland Vallejos before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Also included in the complaint are Vince Ceballos, Russel Ceballos and Antonio Blanco.

Vallejos alleged that in the evening of May 24 he and some friends were walking home from a fiesta when they met two of the respondents, Blanco and Apoya, who told him that the mayor wanted to see him.

Vallejos said out of respect to the mayor he accepted the invitation and went with the two who took to a waiting motorcycle and drove him instead to the house of the councilor.

The councilor allegedly asked him if he was the one who stole his copra. When he denied any knowledge about it, Vince Ceballos allegedly grabbed him from behind and threatened to kill him if he refused to admit to the crime.

After Vallejos insisted on his innocence he was allegedly brought to a secluded place in barangay Becerril where he was mauled and tied to a tree.

The complainant further said Vince Ceballos pointed a shotgun at him and fired it although he was not hit.  Vallejos also said he almost lost consciousness while being tied to the tree and was later brought to the police station and finally released after more than three hours in detention.  — Fred P. Languido/BRP