Woman arrested for kidnapping niece

MANILA, Philippines - A woman who allegedly abducted her 10-year-old niece has been arrested in an entrapment operation in Muntinlupa City yesterday.

Rosalie Nuevo was collared by the police team led by Chief Inspector Giovanni Martinez at a mall in Alabang.

Her arrest stemmed from the complaint of Neptaly Rubio, who alleged that Nuevo asked her P50,000 in exchange for her daughter’s release.

Martinez said Nuevo allegedly took the child from her grandfather’s house in Cavite province last February.

Martinez said Rubio only knew of the incident this month and immediately contacted Nuevo. She contacted the police after her sister-in-law allegedly demanded ransom.

Rubio denied the charges and said a certain Sonny in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, is keeping her niece.

Muntinlupa and Bulacan police officers and the Philippine National Police’s Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response rescued the victim from the house of couple Sofronio and Leila Iquin at Northwind Homes, in Barangay Kaypian Wednesday afternoon. The couple was not home.

“The mother and daughter could not stop crying. They immediately embraced each other. The kid could hardly speak,” Martinez said.

Police suspect that Nuevo sold the child to the couple. However, this angle has yet to be established since the Iquins remain missing, said Martinez.

Kidnap for ransom charges have been filed against Nuevo yesterday, said Martinez. She is currently detained at the Muntinlupa central police station.