Kidnap for cell phone

Police officers of the Western Police District (WPD) arrested yesterday two men, who allegedly sold a two-year-old boy in exchange for a cellular phone in Malate, Manila last Tuesday.

Arrested were Eduardo Mendoza, 27, jobless of Block 7, Lot 26, Rose Wood Homes, Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Ronald Guirzon, 28, jobless, of 2520 Oro B street, Sta. Ana, Manila.

Members of the WPD-Special Operations Group rescued the boy, Yves Saint Laurent Marasigan unharmed at around 7 a.m. yesterday. He was later reunited with his mother Evangeline, 22.

Police said the suspects was nabbed for selling the boy to one Joan Agustin in exchange for her Nokia 8250 worth P5,000 on Tuesday at the Harrison Plaza in Manila.

Agustin said she was inside the mall when the two suspects approached her and offered to sell the boy.

When Agustin could not produce cash, the suspects said they would take her cell phone while instructing the woman to contact them once she comes up with the money.

The following day, Agustin was watching a public service program on television when she saw the boy’s photo while a desperate mother appealed for help in locating him.

Agustin coordinated with the staff of the TV program, which contacted the police.

Police instructed Agustin to contact the suspects and pretend that she would give them cash to retrieve her mobile phone. The two met again with Agustin, resulting in their arrest.

The boy’s mother told probers that she and her son were inside the mall when Mendoza approached her and volunteered to look after her son while she was in the comfort room.

However, when she came out, both the strangers and her son were gone. – Cecille Suerte Felipe