Woman charged for hoax kidnap post on Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Police have filed criminal charges against a 20-year-old woman who claimed she was kidnapped by armed men in Quezon City, which turned out to be a hoax.

A complaint for perjury was filed by the Quezon City Police District against Marichu Ramos after she posted the hoax kidnapping on Facebook, QCPD spokesperson Maj. Wennie Ann Cale said yesterday.

Cale said they would also file additional cases against Ramos before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office for unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code.

Police said Ramos posted on her Facebook account that she was kidnapped by two men in front of a school along Quirino Highway in Barangay Sangandaan on Aug. 26.

She said the suspects forced her into a black commuter van with four other women whom she claimed were also kidnapped.

Ramos said she escaped from the kidnappers when she managed to open the van’s door. She even reported the incident to the barangay.

However, police became suspicious after they conducted their own probe.

Cale said their investigation showed that Ramos was with a friend at around 3:30 p.m. or just over two hours after she was supposedly kidnapped.

“Nag-post pa sila ng selfie ng kaibigan niya,” Cale said in an interview.

An ocular inspection of the place where the incident supposedly happened showed that it is a busy area, with a tricycle terminal and several commercial establishments.

According to Cale, people in the area could have immediately alerted the police if they saw the kidnapping.