4 nabbed for woman’s abduction

MANILA, Philippines - A woman was rescued in Tanauan City, Batangas Thursday night after four men kidnapped her in Ermita, Manila on June 9.

The men – identified as Arturo Kalaw Jr., alias Kenneth, 36; Reynaldo Borja, 24; driver Rodel Roxas, 38; and Raymond Marquez, 18 – reportedly kept the woman drugged and repeatedly raped her during the three days she was in captivity, according to Tanauan police chief Superintendent Christopher Olazo.

Olazo said prior to the abduction, Kalaw struck up a friendship with the woman, a 29-year-old consultant residing in Manila.

When the woman was snatched in Ermita at noon on June 9, her father – a bank official – reported the abduction to Inspector Ariel del Rosario of the the Manila Police District-General Assignment Section (MPD-GAS), he said.

Olazo said Kalaw and the other suspects reportedly forced the woman to use marijuana and shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride). He said the suspects, who are in MPD custody, have no pending criminal cases but are allegedly drug users.

The woman was reunited with her family after she gave her statement to investigators.

A tipster said the woman was seen in a house in Barangay Gonzales. The MPD coordinated with Olazo, and a team of Tanauan and Manila police officers raided the house, rescued the woman and arrested the suspects at around 6 p.m. Thursday.

Olazo said the woman’s family never received a ransom demand.