WPD cop eyed in Malabon kidnap willing to face witnesses

A jailed Western Police District (WPD) policeman, tagged as one of at least three armed men who abducted a Veterinary Medicine student last week in Malabon City, has reportedly expressed willingness to face witnesses in a police line-up for actual identification.

Highly placed sources told The STAR that PO1 Francis Bacunawa, jailed at the Manila City Jail for six counts of robbery, has even sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to clear his name of "too many" accusations.

Sources said that Bacunawa was puzzled by the series of robbery incidents implicating his name, considering that he is already in jail.

On the other hand, the two eyewitnesses in the snatching of Gregorio Araneta University Foundation sophomore student Niño Lorenzo Tobiano have either backed off or have disappeared from their respective residences.

Sources said that a woman witness, who pointed to the picture of Bacunawa as the "similar and almost the same person" who kidnapped Tobiano, later refused to talk to authorities despite assurances of her safety.

Another male witness has reportedly padlocked his house and left for the province with his family fearing reprisal from the kidnappers.

A woman witness, through a police "rogues gallery," a file of photos of criminals, pointed to the picture of Bacunawa as similar to the suspect who snatched Tobiano along Bagong Lote street corner Circumferential Road, Barangay Potrero, Malabon at around 12:45 p.m. on Aug. 2.

Verification made by Superintendent Ernesto Fojas, Malabon police chief, revealed that the suspect was never out of his jail cell on the day the abduction occurred. It was on Aug. 1 that Bacunawa reportedly went out of the Manila City Jail to attend a court hearing at Branch 30 of the Manila Regional Trial Court, for robbery charges.

Tobiano was reportedly on board his maroon Honda Civic (UHD-439) when his path was blocked by a green Mitsubishi Lancer (BBY-851) and a gray Toyota Corolla without license plates.

Northern Police District director Senior Superintendent Vidal Querol formed Saturday Task Force Malabon to support the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Intelligence Group (IG) for the early resolution of Malabon’s kidnappings. – Pete Laude