MANILA, Philippines — A man was arrested for the foiled kidnapping of a five-year-old student in Quezon City on Thursday.
Michael Buenaventura, 43, a resident of Caloocan City, is being held on charges of kidnapping and violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrmination Act, according to Quezon City Police District director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
Initial investigation disclosed the suspect took the boy in front of the Goodwill II Elementary School in Barangay Bagbag at around 10:30 a.m.
Torre said the suspect pretended to be the boy’s father and grabbed the student. The boy cried and panicked, which was noticed by a parent who was waiting for her child.
Policemen and barangay public safety officers arrested Buenaventura after a brief chase.
Torre urged parents to monitor and keep an eye on their children. He also assured the public that police visibility would be beefed up to prevent a similar incident from happening.
Buenaventura said he was only joking and denied it was his intention to kidnap the boy.
“Nagbiro lang naman po kasi ako eh, kasi sabi nung teacher kaninong anak ito. Eh napasigaw lang po ako na ako ang tatay niyan pero malayo po ako (I was only joking, because the teacher asked whose child he was. I shouted that I was his father, but I was nowhere near),” he said in an interview aired over GMA News’ “Unang Balita.”
Buenaventura claimed he told the teacher the boy was not his child when asked for the second time.
GMA News reported that Buenaventura has previous cases of child abuse and illegal drugs.