Men in van abducting kids ‘fake news’–cop chief
STO. TOMAS City–The chief of police (CoP) in this city has branded as “fake news” alleged incidents of a group of men aboard a van kidnapping children and releasing them after a ransom has been paid.
Reports about the group of men reportedly snatching children after school time have been circulating for weeks now but no official complaints have been logged at any of the city’s police stations, said P/Lt. Col. Titoy Jay Cuden, the CoP of the city.
“Now we’re in Brgy. San Agustin talked to people if they’ve seen any van roaming or parked anywhere but no one replied ‘yes’,” the police chief explained to the People’s Journal.
The earliest news-shenanigan related to that story came from Taysan, Batangas last Feb. 4, reports said.
A reminder issued by no less than the principal of Taysan National High School, Rhandell Guirre, reads: “May nakarating na impormasyon kanina na sa Brgy. Bilogo may dalawang bata maagang pumasok sa paaralan.
Lumabas sila saglit at doon muntik nang makuha ng dalawang lalaki na may takip sa mukha sakay ng dalawang van. Napa-report ito sa barangay at naalerto ang mga otoridad.
Lahat ay pinag-iingat sa paglalakad ng mag-isa at maging alerto sa paligid.”
It is perceived that this reminder was the source of the persistent warnings floating in many group chats (GCs) in various barangays, observers said.
The most persistent warning came last week when an unknown sender from Brgy. San Francisco relayed this message to residents in Brgy. San Joaquin:
“May van na huminto sa tapat ng gate na red at secretly talking sa mga bata. May dumating na tanod kaya umalis daw yung van.”
However, the police chief said they are not totally disregarding the warning as his men continuously wait for any report of an abducted child or anybody.
“None so far,” Cuden, a former CoP of Calamba City. “We have yet to verify this report.
Walang complaint and no information from barangay officials din kasi,” he explained further.
He said the closest incident of kidnapping or missing individuals happened in Calamba last year when he was still the CoP of the city.
“Two students came outside the classroom. When we followed, we proved the two rode on a bus and went to Manila, changed clothes then went on a date,” he explained.
Very recently in Sto. Tomas, a vendor reportedly took someone for a hitch and later came back without the accomplice reporting any untoward incident or occurrence committed by the vendor.
“Namasyal lang ung dalawa,” the police chief explained. Lt. Col. Cuden said he is urging anybody in the city to report any missing person.
In related development, P/Col. Salvador Destura Jr., former CoP of Valenzuela, said anybody who peddles wrong or alarming information by any means can be charged in court. “Basta may evidence pwede,” he said. By ED VELASCO
