Mai Ling Ang, alias "Okim," 40, said to be a lesbian, was reportedly with her alleged "partner," Marites Fernando, 36, when she was waylaid by three armed men.
The victim is a daughter of Leong Ang, production manager of Golden Sun Canning Corp. located at Don Basilio Bautista Boulevard, Barangay Hulong Duhat, where Fernando worked as a cashier.
Sources said that Fernando and Mai Ling, manager of Triple 2 Grocery store located at Gen. Luna street, Barangay Bayan-Bayanan also in Malabon, have been living together for quite sometime.
Fernando reportedly separated from her overseas contract worker husband and lived with the victim. "Love triangle is only one of the angles we are looking at," sources said.
Last Thursday night, at about 8:26 p.m., Mai Ling of 16 Cherrygail street, Gabriel II Subdivision, Barangay Hulong Duhat, Malabon , was abducted.
She was nearing her residence aboard a green Ford Fiera (NEY-745), with Fernando, when their path was blocked by a red L300 van without license plates.
One of the suspects in standard blue police uniform, and another wearing a ski mask, dragged Mai Ling out of her vehicle and also ordered Fernando to step out but the latter reportedly fainted.
The suspects forced Mai Ling to their get-away vehicle and sped away towards Obando, Bulacan. At about 9 p.m. that night, Henry Ang, Mai Ling’s brother, reportedly received a call from the suspects telling him that the victim is in good hands and safe but no ransom demand was made.
Probers earlier theorized that the abduction could be a case of "mistaken" identity for the suspects could be small-time criminals preying on individuals they took fancy of at random.
The PNP’s National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF), headed by Superintendent Allan Purisima, is now handling the case.