Police rescue girl kidnapped, placed inside suitcase in Mandaue City

An eight-year-old girl was rescued Thursday after being kidnapped and placed inside a suitcase in Mandaue City in Cebu, police said Friday.

"May mga kaunti dahil siguro noong pinasok siya sa bag kaya nagkaroon ng scratches, bruises dito (wrists)," Mandaue City Police chief Police Colonel Jeffrey Caballes said in a press conference.

(She sustained a few scratches and bruises which she got maybe when she was placed inside the bag.)

In a statement on Thursday, the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) identified the suspect as Godiflor Rama, 32, caretaker of the apartment where the victim’s family is residing.

Around 12 p.m. on Thursday, the victim was forcibly taken from their apartment in Barangay Bakilid. The incident was reported to the police at 5 p.m.

According to reports from 24 Oras on Friday, the suspect explained that he gagged the victim with packaging tape before placing her inside a small suitcase, which was intended to move his clothes to a new apartment.

The suspect stated that his intention behind the kidnapping was to take revenge on the victim’s family for always blaming him whenever items in the house would go missing.

He also stated that he had intended to return the victim after 6 hours as he felt a close bond with the child.

The PRO7 created a team of intelligence officers to rescue the victim and arrest the perpetrator.

“Three hours after the incident came to the knowledge of the operatives, an intricate rescue police operation was immediately conducted paving the way to the successful rescue of the victim and the arrest of the suspect,” the PRO7 said.

The victim is now back with her parents and will undergo psycho-social intervention as a result of the incident.

Rama, meanwhile, underwent booking procedures while the charges are being prepared against him.

“Sana patawarin niyo ako sa aking nagawa kahapon. Hindi ko naisip kung ano ang tama at mali. Sana hindi niyo ako sampahan ng kaso.” Rama said. — JISELLE ANNE CASUCIAN/Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News