OFW nabbed for kidnapping lover’s daughter

MANILA, Philippines - An overseas Filipino worker, on vacation from her job in the United Arab Emirates, and her brother-in-law were arrested in Valenzuela City last week by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents for allegedly kidnapping her lover’s five-year-old daughter.

In a report released yesterday, investigators told NBI director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas that Myra Magalang, 28, married; and Angelito Magalang were charged with kidnapping and failure to return a minor under Article 270 of the Revised Penal Code before the Valenzuela City prosecutor’s office.

Myra, who works as a caregiver, and Angelito are being held at the NBI detention center in Manila.

According to the report, Myra and complainant Kerwin Escanilla became sweethearts through the social networking site Facebook. She arrived from the UAE on Jan. 10 and met Escanilla in person for the first time the next day.

On Jan. 13, Escanilla introduced Myra to his parents and two children. She invited his daughter to spend the night at her house in Valenzuela City. Escanilla agreed.

The next morning, Myra and Escanilla had an argument over her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. He demanded that Myra return his daughter. She refused and told him to pay her back the P3,000 she spent on food and drinks for him and his family or he would not see his daughter again.

Myra set a meeting with him at the Karuhatan public market on Jan. 15. Escanilla asked help from the NBI, whose agents arrested Myra and her brother-in-law when he paid them after they showed up at the market with his daughter.