Mother fends off kidnappers

MANILA, Philippines - Armed with only a badminton racket, a woman fought off two men who tried to grab her children and take them away in a van in Barangay Talipapa, Quezon City Monday night.

Ligaya Tamayo, 38, went to the Quezon City Police District Station 3 to report the attempted kidnapping of her two children, which happened at past 6 p.m. in San Agustin Village.

Tamayo told investigators her eight-year-old daughter and four-year-old son were playing badminton when two men in a green van drove up and stopped in front of the children, Senior Police Officer 1 Ninez Mendez said.

One of the kidnappers, who wore a black bonnet to mask his features, got out and tried grabbing the children. Tamayo said she grabbed a badminton racket and started hitting the kidnapper, who got into the van and sped away.

She said she failed to get the van’s plate number. Her children said they saw three other children in the van.