Nursing student escapes from abductors in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY – A 20-year-old male nursing student of Cagayan Colleges here escaped from his captors in a remote southwestern town Wednesday.

Police identified the kidnap victim as one Rufino Cabrera of Barangay Bassi, Solana town, whose escape led to the arrest of two of four suspects, one reportedly a cousin of the victim himself.

The arrested suspects were identified as Nestor Mallillin, the victim’s cousin, and Leonardo Balubal, also of Solana town. The other two are still being hunted down.

According to the police, the suspects barged into the house of the victim at around 8 p.m. on July 15, blindfolded him and then dragged him to a waiting vehicle. They then kept him at an abandoned school building in Barangay Talusay in Santo Niño town.

The suspects had reportedly settled for a P1 million ransom when the victim managed to escape. He also recognized Mallillin as one of his kidnappers.

Senior Inspector Carlito Barsabal, Santo Niño police chief, said Cabrera was able to free himself while one of his captors guarding him was asleep. He then hit him on the head thrice with a club and later sought refuge with Santo Niño’s vice mayor. – Charlie Lagasca