Superintendent Ernesto Fojas, Malabon City police chief, identified the suspect as Veronica Labore, 35, of Area 1, Block 3, San Rafael Village, Balut, Tondo, Manila.
Victim Cee Jay Domingo of 33 Lascano street, Barangay Tugatog, Malabon City was rescued unharmed.
PO3 Ferdinand Espiritu and PO3 Jorge dela Cruz said the suspect snatched the boy while he was playing outside their residence at about 3:30 p.m.
Labore reportedly approached the victim and dragged him away but the abduction was foiled when witnesses sought the assistance of barangay tanod Eliseo de Vera.
De Vera, assisted by Barangay Tugatog Police Sub-station 1 operatives, chased the suspect and rescued the boy unmolested.
"The suspect was nabbed some 15 meters away from where she abducted the boy," PO2 Peter Rios told The STAR.
Rios, however, ruled out kidnap for ransom as the motive in seizing the boy. He said that the victim’s family being middle class, belies that motive.
"Though the boy’s family is not poor, kidnap for ransom would be remote," Rios opined.
Rios noted that a similar case also happened last February where a woman kidnapping suspect was also arrested by the Malabon police after she abducted a baby boy and sold him for only P1,500.
Kidnapping charges were being readied yesterday against the suspect, who was locked up at the Malabon jail. – Pete Laude and Nikko Dizon