Text gave them away

Boy’s abductors are own relatives

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) rescued the six-year-old kidnapped son of a South Korean and a Filipina last Saturday in Quezon City after a text message revealed his abductors were his own relatives.

CIDG officials identified the victim as Alexander John Joven, a son of Shirley Joven by a South Korean national who left the country two years ago.

The boy was rescued unharmed after his mother sought the assistance of the CIDG’s AntiOrganized Crime Task Force, headed by Superintendent Paterno Orduna.

Orduna said five kidnap suspects were also arrested by the CIDG with the support from the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) team and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

CIDG operatives, led by Superintendent Ferdinand Vero and Chief Inspector Percival Rumbaoa recovered the P91,000 ransom from the alleged mastermind, identified as Susan Floralde, sister of the victim’s mother.

Floralde also acted as negotiator and courier of the money.

The kidnappers initially demanded P500,000, which was lowered to P91,000 during negotiations.

A maroon Toyota Lite Ace van used by the suspects in the abduction was recovered from one of the suspects, identified as Michael de la Peña.

Floralde and De la Peña’s cohorts were identified as Armi Cristy Joven, the boy’s cousin; Criselda Sabares alias Idang, half-sister of the boy’s mother; and Sandy Pecson, common-law-wife of De la Peña.

Senior Superintendent Charlemagne Alejandrino, CIDG deputy director, said the boy’s mother sought police assistance after one of the kidnappers mistakenly sent her a text message intended for victim’s aunt (Floralde).

This prompted the boy’s mother to suspect that her own sister had something to do with the abduction.

Joven’s suspicion was bolstered further when the kidnappers insisted that the ransom money be handed over to Floralde.

After the arrest, the mother was shocked to learn that several more members of her own family, including her half sister, were involved.

Floralde begged forgiveness from the boy’s mother when they met: "Patawad, Shirley, patawad."

But during yesterday’s media presentation, Joven ignored her sister’s plea for forgiveness. The boy’s mother could not accept the fact that her own sisters and a niece were involved in the kidnapping of her son, subjecting him to such a traumatic experience. "

They even threatened to kill my son if I failed to produce the ransom," the mother said.

She was extremely disappointed that despite all the financial support she gave her relatives, they would still have it in them to kidnap her son for money.

Alejandrino said the boy suffered abrasions in various parts of his body, although he was treated well during captivity.

Meanwhile, Elements of the Western Police District (WPD) are now hunting down three persons who abducted and robbed an Iranian dentist in Quiapo, Manila last week.

The robbers released victim Shahram Bayut, 37, some 17 hours after the abduction. But it took Bayut almost a week to have the courage and report the incident to the police.

The victim lost some P55,000 in cash and valuables, including his cellphone worth P21,000.

Bayut, temporarily residing in Mandaue City, Cebu, told probers that the incident took place last June 20 at around 7 p.m., shortly after he stepped out of a mall on Claro M. Recto Avenue.

According to SPO1 Jaime Bunag, Bayut was immediately met by two men and a woman with short firearms, who forcibly dragged him inside a vehicle, where he was blindfolded and brought to a still undisclosed location.

Bayut could not give police details of the suspects, making it difficult for investigators to identify his abductors or the gang to which they belong.

The foreigner claimed his abductors released him the next day, some 17 hours after the abduction. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe