Gwen Garci recalls being abducted during an election campaign

Gwen Garci recalled a traumatic incident when she was allegedly taken to the mountains during an election campaign.

On Thursday’s “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the Viva Hot Babes member said she and Jennifer Lee were part of the campaign event’s entertainment lineup and were scheduled to perform after speeches from vice presidential and senatorial candidates.

“It was during an election. It was a campaign, so we went with them everywhere they went. I don’t want to mention who the president and vice president were. It was so scary. It was very traumatic because I wasn’t expecting people to go up the stage,” Gwen said in a mix of Filipino and English.

She recalled that a group of people suddenly went up the stage, causing it to collapse, before taking them one by one.

Jennifer said she saw someone carrying Gwen and noticed that they were heading in a different direction from the others.

“I saw someone else carrying Gwen. I didn’t know who the person was. They were carrying Gwen. Then we were heading toward the van. I said, ‘Why does it seem like Gwen is going in a different direction?’” Jennifer said in Filipino.

Gwen said they were initially being carried by soldiers, but a different person took her away.

“The person carrying us was a soldier. But in my case, a different person was carrying me. I was so upset at the time. I was extremely scared. Of course, I was thinking, ‘What are they going to do to me?’” Gwen said.

Gwen said she was eventually rescued after the mayor of Marawi pursued them, saying she was grateful for the mayor’s intervention.

“After that, the mayor of Marawi chased after them. And I thank God, and thank you, mayor. After that, I saw them fighting and covered in blood,” she said.

She recalled freezing in fear during the incident, saying she was unable to run even when she had the opportunity.

"I thought that only happened in the movies or on TV," she said. “It’s true that you will freeze. I could have run when they were fighting. But because I was so scared, my whole body was trembling, and I couldn’t run,” she said.

The Viva Hot Babes are set to reunite for a concert at the New Frontier Theater on October 23.

The group debuted in 2003 and popularized the songs “Bulaklak” and “Kikay.”

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA News