‘Kidnap incident’ in Ateneo campus did not take place – QC police chief

There was no kidnapping incident last November inside the Ateneo de Manila University campus, the Quezon City police chief told GMA News Online on Wednesday, five days after the school issued a statement confirming the crime.

“Wala nangyaring kidnapping. Kwento lang ‘yun nung bata,” said Chief Supt. Richard Albano of the QC Police District.

In a statement dated November 29, ADMU confirmed that a kidnapping incident happened inside its premises on November 21, but it noted that the student was released unharmed, and that no ransom money was paid.

ADMU has yet to respond to GMA News Online’s request for comment on Albano's revelation.

According to Albano, the police are looking at a “kidnap me” angle, or a kidnapping scheme where the supposed victim conspires with the abductors.

“Ang pamilya [ng biktima] na mismo ang nagsabi na mukhang walang nangyaring kidnapping... Hindi rin natin niru-rule out ‘yung possibility ng kidnap me,” he said.

On November 21, the 20-year-old supposed victim was purportedly taken by kidnappers, who called up the victim’s parent asking for P250,000 ransom. The family tried to haggle with the kidnappers but failed to agree on the final amount to be paid.

But surprisingly, the suspects freed the victim on the morning of November 22, even if ransom was not paid to the suspects.

The police noted that the victim might turn out to be one of the suspects, along with her boyfriend, if the “kidnap me” scheme is proven.

Albano said the investigation is under the police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group.

“Baka nakipag-date lang,” quipped Albano.

Obstruction of justice?

Meanwhile, the guards of the university might face obstruction of justice after they refused to let policemen inside the school’s premises even if there was a tip that an incident happened inside the campus.

“Hindi dapat hinaharang ang pulis. Kung may pangyayari ngang krimen sa loob, dapat pumasok ang pulis para magkaroon ng investigation,” Quezon City Police Station 9 commander Richard Fiesta told GMA News Online in a separate phone interview.

QC Police Station 9, located along Anonas Street, is the outpost nearest the school’s premises.

“Kung mapatunayan na nagkaroon nga ng kidnapping sa loob, pwede naming sampahan ng obstruction of justice ‘yung mga gwardiya,” he added. However, said that since there was no complaint regarding the supposed kidnapping incident in their station, they can not confirm whether a kidnapping incident happened.

“Wala namang pumupuntang complainant kaya paano kami makakukuha ng data? Walang pangyayaring ganun kasi hindi ni-report sa amin,” he added. — LBG, GMA News