‘Drug traders’ behind girl's abduction

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force claimed that a group of four to five men, primarily involved in illegal drug trade, was behind the abduction of the 16-year-old college student in Naga City.

Sr. Insp. Ma. Theresa Macatangay, RATTF chief, told The FREEMAN that based on the information they gathered, suspects are involved in illegal drugs  and they are checking why and when they shifted to human trafficking.

“Naa mi gipangita nga mastermind kay prior sa arrest, wala man gyud mi kadawat pud ug info ani nga grupo nga involved ug human trafficking,” Macatangay said in a phone interview.

The Regional Special Operations Group is now tracking down the alleged mastermind.

RATTF is trying to locate the whereabouts of the two other women who were also blind folded together with the victim inside the van the girl boarded.

Statements of the victim were proven true based on the investigation conducted by the RATTF.

Police arrested suspects Jojo Gimarangan and Joey Dela Cruz, both 19, who were positively identified by the victim as the same persons who were in the area where she was raped.

They are from Negros Occidental and work as errand boys of a farmhouse in Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay, Cebu City.

They will be considered accessories to the crime.

The victim managed to escape from suspects last Thursday dawn and walked until the South Road Properties in Barangay Tangke, Talisay City where she was rescued by a traffic enforcer who took her to the police station.

 Macatangay said that victim is now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7  for stress debriefing.

Covert policemen are looking after the security of the victim.

“We are looking after her needs in the facility,” Macatangay said. – (FREEMAN)