Grade V pupil snatched in Cebu City; suspects described

CEBU CITY — A Grade V pupil was snatched by two motorcycle-riding men wearing bonnets while on his way to school in Peace Valley Subdivision, Barangay Oprra, yesterday morning.

The victim was identified as Ryan James Yu, 11, son of Ronnie and Senia Yu of Mahogany Street, Peace Valley, and a student of the St. Francis de Assisi School in Peace Valley.

As of press time yesterday afternoon, the family has not received any ransom demand from the boy’s kidnappers.

According to the victim’s chaperone, a male helper of the Yu’s whose name is being withheld, said they had just walked about two thirds of the way from the Yu’s house on their way to school when two men suddenly grabbed the child and dragged him into a waiting motorcycle, a red Yamaha DT.

The helper tried to grapple with one of the suspects, who then brandished a caliber .45 pistol and poked it in his face.

An off-duty security guard who was just passing by also tried to intervene but backed off when the gunman pointed the gun in his direction.

Another neighbor identified only as "Tikboy" who tried to throw a rock at the abductors also stopped when he saw that one of them was armed.

The boy was still struggling by the time his two abductors were able to get him aboard the motorcycle, forcing one of them to pistol-whip him in the nape.

With the child secured between them, the kidnappers sped-off in the direction of Doña M. Gaisano street in Barangay Sudlon.

One of the suspects reportedly handed the helper a letter, along with a corresponding cellular phone number. Police, however, refused to reveal the contents of the letter.

Jovito Petalcurin, a motorcycle-for-hire driver who saw the incident, also said he gave a brief chase and saw the motorcycle stop near the old Cebu State College of Science and Technology Agriculture School.

There, he said he saw the two transfer the boy to a white Kia Pride car that had been parked there.

Petalcurin also reported that a man alighted from the car and punched one of the suspects in the stomach. The car then headed for Gorordo Avenue. No one could say, however, if it turned right toward the city or left to Banawa or PC Hills.

A shoe with blood traces was recovered by police. The police believed it belongs to one of the suspects who forcibly took Yu.

City police chief Hiram Benatiro said three witnesses have described the suspects in the kidnapping. — Freeman News Service