Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Tuesday said an investigation is being conducted on the alleged abduction of two development workers in Cebu.
In an interview during DZRH's Damdaming Bayan, Azurin said he already ordered Police Regional Office (PRO) Central Visayas director Brig. Gen. Director Jerry Bearis to probe the matter as earlier reports stated that police officers are allegedly behind the kidnapping.
"Chine-check natin ng maigi kung totoo ngang pulis [ang kidnappers] kasi unang una, hindi sila naka-uniporme. It's broad daylight. Kung mapapansin natin, napakaraming tao na parang nanunuod lamang..... parang na-shock sila," he said.
On Monday, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called for the punishment of the abductors of its two members, namely ACT Region VII Union Volunteer Coordinator Dyan Gumanao and Alliance of Health Workers coordinator Armand Dayoha.
Gumanao and Dayoha, who are real-life partners, were kidnapped in broad daylight at Pier 6, Port of Cebu last January 10, 2023.
In the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of their actual abduction released to the media on the same day, it can be seen that the couple were forced by kidnappers to enter a gray car.
But Gumanao and Dayoha are now safe and they have reunited with their respective families after five days of enforced disappearance and torture, the ACT chairperson disclosed.
Azurin, meanwhile, expressed doubts that police officers are the culprit in the kidnapping.
"'Yung sasakyan, hindi ho ganon ang sasakyan ng kapulisan. Marked vehicle iyan. So, on-going pa po 'yung investigation," he said.
The PNP chief also said that he likewise directed the PNP highway patrol group to look into the car's plate number in the CCTV footage in order to trace the kidnappers.
