Mom, “abductor” appear to know each other

CEBU, Philippines - Suspicion has surfaced that the mother of three-month-old baby she reported to have been abducted by an unidentified woman at the Cebu South Bus Terminal lied and that she knowingly allowed the woman to take away her body in what authorities suspect could even be a case of trafficking.

This came about after the police saw a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that captured the supposed abduction of baby Lady Love.

CCTV operator Van Derrick Gestopa said he was in doubt that an abduction happened on that day because the CSC received the complaint yesterday morning.

He said he and his brother, Delfin, went to City Hall at 9 a.m. on October 7 when the employees gathered at Plaza Sugbo.

“As we continued walking towards the Cebu City Hall legislative building, we observed that the people gathering were wearing black arm bands. We also saw placards and streamers, majority of which pertains for the passage of Supplemental Budget-1; there were also placards which bears the word ‘bitin’ with an illustration of snake and some were attacking the Cebu City Council,” he said.

He said he noticed that most of the employees, if not all, were wearing the City Hall-issued IDs.

He said his brother took a video of the “protest-rally” while he took photos.

While the activity going on outside, he reportedly checked the offices inside the City Hall and found that the DWUP and Burial Assistance Office were empty. The barangay garbage trucks loaded with garbage were parked outside the premises of City Hall.

“Having observed that the protesters/rallyists were already becoming hyper-active in rendering reactions against some of the members of the Cebu City Council projected in the television, we just left the area and did not proceed with our transaction at the Cebu City Hall,” he said.

“It can also be observed that the said demonstration was a premeditated and fully organized one, the presence of a uniform black arm band, printed tarpaulins and placards are sufficient indications to that effect,” he added.

Adolfo said public service was “greatly put to toll and hampered” since the activity was done during working hours.

These acts, he said, were tolerated by Mayor Michael Rama who he reportedly saw at the “protest-rally”. (FREEMAN)