Textile mill owners’ son kidnapped

A son of the owners of a Valenzuela City-based textile mill was kidnapped by at least four heavily armed men in police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) uniforms Thursday afternoon.

Sources said the victim, a resident of Valenzuela City, was snatched at around 5:25 p.m.

A dirty-white Mitsubishi Lancer (PNN-173) reportedly blocked the victim's vehicle on Mariano street in Barangay Bagbaguin and four men, each armed with long and short firearms and all wearing black SWAT uniforms alighted from the Lancer.

The armed men ordered the victim to get out of his car, forced him into their getaway vehicle and sped off towards an unknown direction.

The Valenzuela City police investigation unit could not yet confirm yesterday whether the incident was the handiwork of a kidnap for ransom group, claiming they were still “updating” their report.

Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio, Valenzuela City police chief, also said they were still investigating.

“A concerned individual informed our police sub-station in the area about the abduction but no witnesses came forward to give more information,” Idio told The STAR.

Idio said his men were only told that somebody was abducted but no name was provided.

“My men were told that the victim just came out of a factory in the area and that he was abducted by the armed men. Aside from that we have no more information,” Idio said.

He said that they were still trying to coordinate with the victim’s family “but so far no developments yet.”

Idio said that as of press time yesterday, no ransom demand has been made and none of the victim’s relatives reported the incident to the police or have tried to seek police assistance.