A 59-year-old businessman was injured after he was allegedly kidnapped and beaten in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. The victim survived the ordeal, and authorities have identified the alleged mastermind as his own cousin, whom he reportedly refused to lend money to.
CCTV footage showed three men waiting outside a house early Monday morning. When a pickup truck carrying the victim arrived, the suspects reportedly forced him back into the vehicle and drove away.
However, police said the abduction did not go as planned after the suspects were involved in a vehicular accident that was not captured on video.
“Nagkaroon pa ng disgrasya, nakadisgrasya pa sila ng tao, patakas sila nung nakuha nila yung tao,” said Nueva Ecija Provincial Police Office director Police Colonel Heryl Bruno.
The suspects were later forced to abandon the pickup truck and flee after it suffered a flat tire.
“Nagkaroon ng problema yung sasakyan, na-flat. Bumababa, naglakad sila. Kanya-kanya silang lulan ng iba’t-ibang sasakyan,” Bruno added.
The victim was later found bloodied in Barangay Bakod Bayan and was immediately taken to a hospital.
“Ang biktima kanina, siyempre nagkaroon ng trauma dahil binugbog siya along the way. Ayos naman siya at nasa ospital,” Bruno said.
Police backtracking operations extended as far as San Miguel, Bulacan, where the alleged mastermind—an ex-police officer and the victim’s cousin—was arrested.
“Nahuli natin yung pinaka main suspect na nataon naman na ex-pulis na kamag-anak mismo ng biktima,” Bruno said. “Ayon sa rebelasyon ng kamag-anak, yung pinaka pinsan niya na ex-pulis, is ang sinasabi niya ay [may] problema sa pera, kailangan ng pera. Nag-demand sila ng P5 milyon.”
The suspect allegedly admitted harboring anger toward the victim, which intensified due to his financial difficulties.
“Nagalit ako sa kaniya dahil nangangailangan ako trabaho kasi may sakit ang asawa ko ‘di niya ako pinapansin. ilang beses ako nagsabi, ini-ignore niya ako eh,” the suspect said.
However, he denied ordering the physical harm inflicted on his cousin.
“Hindi sir, hindi ko inutos na saktan dahil pinsan ko yun eh. Ang sabi ko lang, takutin lang para magbigay ng pera. Pera lang ang kailangan natin eh kako,” he explained.
Two other suspects were later arrested in Cabanatuan City and Palayan City. All suspects are now facing kidnapping charges.
