The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday launched an investigation into the daylight abduction of a car dealer in Cebu after footage of the incident went viral on social media.
Closed-circuit television footage shared online shows the victim being taken on 11 May near the Miranza Center in Cebu City’s Banilad district.
The victim was found alive the following morning in Naga City, Cebu, police said.
PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez disclosed that authorities are conducting follow-up operations to identify and arrest the suspects.
“The PNP is treating this reported abduction case with utmost urgency, and we are committed to determine the facts and identify those responsible,” Nartatez said in a statement.
Investigators are working to determine whether the incident was a kidnapping or if it stems from a financial dispute involving vehicle buy-and-sell and pawning transactions.
The victim told police the incident is linked to a man with whom he was transacting over a P1.8 million vehicle deal and P150,000 in unpaid interest.
Authorities have identified a person of interest. Investigators are also looking into potential links to illegal vehicle schemes known locally as “rent-tangay” and “rent-sangla” — where rented vehicles are illegally sold or pawned without the owner’s consent — though authorities currently believe the case is an isolated incident rather than the work of a kidnapping syndicate.
