Cop’s wife snatched, released

LAGUNA, Philippines – The wife of a police officer was reportedly snatched by six unidentified men in Agoncillo town in Batangas on Saturday and released shortly after in Talisay, police said yesterday.

Cecille Atienza was released unharmed and without paying ransom, according to Senior Inspector Norman Cas-oy, Agoncillo police chief.

Cas-oy said Atienza was found by village councilor Peter Degrano in Barangay Guillermo at around 5:30 a.m. Degrano turned Atienza over to the Talisay police.

Cas-oy said Atienza and her 19-year-old nephew were in a car when two motorcycle-riding men blocked them in Barangay Sta. Cruz at around 4:05 a.m.

At gunpoint, the gunmen ordered Atienza and her nephew to get out of the car and sprayed the vehicle with bullets.

Cas-oy said the kidnappers escaped on a motorcycle, taking Atienza with them.

Atienza told probers that the suspects took her to a place where four men in a car were waiting for them.

She said she heard one of the four men telling the two kidnappers that they got the wrong person and ordered them to release her.