Suspect In Snatching Kids In Benguet Fall

Itogon, Benguet –  A 48-year old construction worker, who also has a murder case in Baguio City,  was caught Tuesday morning, a day after he reportedly snatched three children in Itogon, Benguet.

Fernandez is now facing kidnapping and violations of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 charges after  kidnapping the three— aged seven and eight years old on Monday.

Itogon town police chief Major Rommel Sawatang said the three children were last seen playing outside their house on Monday morning.  Fernandez reportedly sweet-talked the three to go with him.

Relatives reported to police that the 3 went missing since then, prompting a search and rescue operation.

Police, barangay officials and volunteers were able to locate the children and arrested the suspect in sitio Tuwap, Gumatdang, Itogon.

Sawatang claimed Fernandez took the three children after his employer failed to pay his salary, though the children are not related to the suspect’s employer.

Fernandez’s victims began undergoing stress debriefing at the Itogon Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.

Artemio Dumlao

Amianan Balita Ngayon