CAGAYAN DE ORO–Police authorities have again shut down claims of reported kidnappings in this city, saying reports of abductions have been validated and were found to be inexistent.
In a memo dated August 6 and released to the media Tuesday, the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) reiterated an earlier statement denying reports of kidnappings that supposedly targeted Maranao women.
“Oro police spearheaded by Police Senior Superintendent Nelson Aganon, City Director, (has) said that there is no reason to believe that there is a series of disappearances in the city of Cagayan de Oro as posted by the Xavier University-Central Student Government which issued a reminder for their fellow students which was posted on their Facebook page last July 23, 2018,” the memo said.
Police Superintendent Mardy Hortillosa II, Cocpo spokesperson, said each kidnapping report was “subjected for validation and investigation” by their office and not a single case had been confirmed.
The reported rash of abductions has Maranao students concerned of their safety, prompting a Xavier University law student, Aslani Balt Jr., to create the “Linding Ko Mga Bae” (LKMB), or “protection for women.”
LKMB started renting public utility vehicles to ferry Muslim women from their schools to their destinations late last month, lending more credence to the rumors of targeted abductions.
Hortillosa clarified that while the claims have not been verified, it doesn’t mean kidnappings can’t occur in the city.
Because of this, the police official advised the public to cooperate and report to them “any suspicious persons, activities and unusual occurrences in public or any untoward incidents and crime situations.” (Nef Luczon/PNA)
