Hotel employee escapes abductors; 2 arrested

MANILA, Philippines - A 21-year-old employee of a high-end hotel in Makati City escaped Monday afternoon from two men who abducted her when she boarded a taxi in Makati City and brought her to Quezon province Sunday night.

Police officers later arrested taxi driver Eduardo Sarabosing, 34, of Barangay Caigdal in Unisan, Quezon; and Samuel Aumentado, 39, of Barangay Talon Dos in Las Piñas City, according to Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) regional police director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona.

Investigators said the woman boarded a white Ponkan taxi (TXD-899) driven by Sarabosing along Makati Avenue at past 11 p.m. Sunday.

When the taxi reached the corner of EDSA and Gil Puyat Avenue, Sarabosing stopped the car. Aumentado emerged from the trunk of the taxi, where he had been hiding, and joined the woman in the taxi.

Aumentado, investigators said, then pointed a knife at the woman and demanded P20,000. The woman said she does not have P20,000 with her. She gave him her two ATM cards. Aumentado then forced the woman to withdraw cash somewhere in Laguna.

Investigators said the two suspects did not allow the woman to get off the taxi, instead bringing her to a house – reportedly owned by Editha Valerio – in Barangay Pag-aguasan in Unisan town. Aumentado molested the woman along the way, police said.

Aumentado left the woman at the house with Sarabosing. Quezon police director Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said Aumentado left the house to return the taxi to its owner. The woman said Sarabosing tried but failed to rape her.

The woman escaped at around 4 a.m. Monday when Sarabosing fell asleep. She sought the help of barangay officials, who alerted local police officers.

Carlos and Unisan police chief Senior Inspector Julius Alvaro led local police officers in arresting Sarabosing.

Makati police officers, led by Senior Inspector Ferdinand Satorre, arrived in Unisan to fetch the woman and take custody of Sarabosing.

Aumentado was arrested by Las Piñas and Makati police officers in Barangay Talon Dos, at around 6 a.m. yesterday.

Sarabosing and Aumentado, who are being held at the Makati City police headquarters, chose to remain silent on the charges being prepared against them. – With Ed Amoroso, Michelle Zoleta