ZAMBOANGA CITY — Three unidentified men on board a four-wheeled vehicle abducted a 19-year-old female university college student while she was walking to a computer shop to print school requirements in Barangay San Roque in this city.
Police probers said yesterday that tanods of Barangay Patalon found and recovered Elisa, (not her real name) 19 years old of Sitio Corote in Barangay Malagutay in this city near the shoreline of Sitio Malandi in Barangay Patalon about 9:35 p.m. on Monday.
A barangay tanod, who declined to be identified, said residents in the area saw a dirty white van from where a piece of baggage was thrown in the area.
Curious about what had been thrown in the area, the residents inspected the vicinity and found Elisa lying on the ground with her face and mouth covered with packing tape and two hands also tied with packing tape. She was unconscious when found.
Immediately they reported the incident to the barangay tanod who rushed to the scene and took off the packing tape wrapped to her face, mouth and hands.
The tanod immediately brought Elisa to the Labuan General Hospital in Barangay Labuan for proper medical attention and the attending physician declared that the victim should be admitted for being traumatized and for other examinations needed.
At about 2 a.m. yesterday Elisa was able to speak a little and gave a few statements to the police and medical officers at the hospital.
According to Elisa while she was walking along the road near Teresita Drive in San Roque to look for a computer shop, when suddenly someone covered her mouth at her back and she was forced to enter a four-wheel vehicle colored dirty white around 12nn on Monday.
Police Regional Office for the Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) spokesperson P/Lt. Col. Helen L. Galvez said, “The investigation into the alleged abduction has been temporarily suspended, adhering to medical advice to refrain from subjecting the victim to further interviews to prevent exacerbating her trauma.”
The Zamboanga City Police Office, however, said it is committed to providing the public with regular updates on the progress of the investigation as new information emerges.
For his part, Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe has asked the police to conduct a thorough investigation on the alleged abduction incident.
Dalipe also ordered the police to work double time to identify the suspects and arrest them at all cost.
“Zamboanga City is not a place for them to exist and operate,” the mayor here said.
