BAY, Laguna – A kidnap victim from Calamba City’s resort village of Pansol has claimed that his abduction was a case of mistaken identity after he was freed nine hours later by his captors in Barangay Bitin in Bay, Laguna on Tuesday morning.
Bay police station officer-in-charge, Chief Inspector Jojo I. Sabeniano, on Wednesday identified the kidnap victim as Harrizon Sanvalintin Luna, 31.
Luna told the police that while standing, waiting for tourists and resort pool clients on the corner of Resurreccion Street in Barangay Pansol, Calamba City, at about 8:45 p.m. of Jan. 22, a man who came from behind poked a gun on his side and ordered him to step back and board a car.
Inside the vehicle, the victim noticed four or five other accomplices but he could hardly figure them out because it was dim.
The suspects then got Harrison’s hanky and blind-folded him, placed a brown packaging tape around his head and tied his arms with cable wires.
Harrison said he and the suspects travelled for several hours overnight to an unknown direction.
During the travel, the kidnap victim heard one of the suspects in a mobile phone conversation with someone that he was not their target person and was a case of mistaken identity.
This prompted the kidnappers to release Harrison at around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at the vicinity of Barangay Bitin and then fled towards Bay town proper.
The kidnap victim then sought help from the village residents and was able to call his mother for assistance, who in turn called the Bay police.
Members of the Bay police force rushed to the site and secured Harrison who was brought to the police station for investigation.
Sabeniano said police are still securing the victim as their probe continues in coordination with Calamba City police. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
