Trader abducted in Batangas

BATANGAS CITY — Police authorities are at a loss on how to handle the alleged abduction of a well known businessman here by four armed men who introduced themselves as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Senior Superintendent Francisco Don Montenegro, Batangas police director, said they are now investigating the alleged abduction of Precioso Macatangay, a resident of Barangay Gulod Itaas of this city and owner of Macro Lodge, Macsor Hotel and Maphet Wine House.

Macatangay was snatched in a cockpit parking lot past midnight.

Montenegro said Macatangay just stepped out of the San Pascual Sports Complex at around 1:40 a.m. and about to board his maroon Toyota Hi-lux pick-up, with license plate VDR-818, when one of the four armed men hit him in the head with a hand gun and shoved him inside a blue Toyota Revo.

A cigarette vendor who witnessed the incident said four heavily tinted vehicles, including Macatangay’s pick-up, were seen rushing out of the the cockpit parking lot located between the boundaries of Barangay Danglayan in San Pascual town and Barangay Sta. Rita, Batangas City.

Witnesses, however, could not ascertain which direction the convoy took.

Police recovered Macatangay’s vehicle somewhere in San Jose, Del Monte in Bulacan later in the day. Police also found the rope used to tie Macatangay inside the vehicle.

Investigation revealed that Macatangay’s credit card was used to fill-up the suspects’ vehicles at the Shell Gas station inside the South Luzon Expressway at around 4:45 a.m.

Macatangay’s credit card was also used to withdraw cash from an undisclosed bank somewhere in Congressional Avenue in Quezon City around at 7:30 a.m.

In an interview with The STAR Montenegro said there was no coordination made between the NBI and the Batangas PNP on the alleged abduction.

"If this was a legitimate operation, nakipag-coordinate na sana sa amin ang NBI," Montenegro said. "Pero wala naman daw silang operation kaninang madaling araw."

Montenegro, however, could not think of any group that could be possibly behind the abduction.

"It’s hard for us now and it’s too early yet to speculate on the suspects motive in the abduction but we are already working on it," Montenegro told The STAR.

Macatangay, a well-known businessman in Batangas City, was reportedly a friend of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Arturo Lomibao and Batangas City Mayor Eddie Dimacuha. — With Ed Amoroso