Family appeals for release of 6 friends abducted in Batangas

Alias “Lita” could not sleep for several days now after her grandson Mark Nelvin Caraan and 5 of his friends in Laurel were abducted in Batangas on Friday.

“Para mo nang awa ilabas mo na ‘yong apo ko kasi wala naman kasalanan ‘yon. Nadamay lang sa mga barkada niya,” said “Lita.”

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Aside from Caraan, those abducted also included Mar Christian Ore, Eugene Noora, Shane Despe, Paulino Sebastian, and Carlo Fazon.

While vehicles were moving slowly early Friday morning on Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road, armed men in a van opened the SUV driven by friends and abducted them.

Two women among the abductees escaped.

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“Tumakbo po kami sa may right side na may space. Mayroon po doong hagdan na pababa. Ilang sandali, lumabas na ‘yong guard at sinabing wala na raw po,” said one of the victims.

(We ran to the right side with space. There is a staircase down there. After a while, the guard came out and said they were gone.)

On Friday night, the victims’ vehicle was found in the forested part of Barangay Bunggo in Calamba, Laguna.

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The eight friends allegedly came from an outing in Lian, Batangas, and were on their way home to Dasmariñas when the perpetrators blocked them.

Family appeals for release of 6 friends abducted in Batangas

Laurel police admitted they have yet to identify the culprits.

Among the angles being looked at is the involvement of one of the abductees in illegal drugs, according to Laurel police chief Capt. Errol Jordan Frejas.

It is also possible that the abduction was related to a fight between one of the victims and the Chinese relative, Frejas said.

Police also said one of the victims was allegedly involved in illegal  in November 2020.

“Sa ngayon, iniimbestigahan pa rin namin pero mayroong isa dito sa mga nawawala ay involved sa illegal drugs. Nahuli po siya noong November 2020 dito sa San Jose, Batangas,” authorities said.

(So far, we are still investigating, but one missing is involved in illegal drugs. He was arrested in November 2020 here in San Jose, Batangas.)

Currently, all police units in Batangas are working together to investigate the case.

Batangas police have also sought help from the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group.

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