MANILA—The suspects who forcibly took 6 people who were on their way home from a vacation in Batangas used fake vehicle license plates, police said.

“Na-verify nga natin kasi meron tayong nakuhang plate numbers dito sa sasakyan na ginamit ng mga alleged suspects. Lumalabas na fake ’yung mga plate number na ginamit nila,” Laurel town, Batangas police chief Capt. Errol Frejas told TeleRadyo on Thursday.

“Kasi ’yung isa dito, ’yung plate number na binigay ay naka-register sa isang Nissan Navara at wala naman po tayong nakikitang Nissan Navara sa mga vehicles ng suspect. At ’yung isa naman po ay sa Innova na naka-register sa may-ari ay nasa Talisay, Cebu.”

• Pamilya umapelang pakawalan ang 6 na magkakaibigang dinukot sa Batangas

Mark Nelvin Caraan, Shane Despe, Carlo Fazon, Eugene Noora, Mar Christian Ore and Paulino Sebastian were on their way home to Dasmariñas city, Cavite, from a vacation in Lian town, Batangas when armed men busted open their cars along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road and abducted them.

The SUV used by the victims was found in a forested area in Barangay Bunggo, Calamba city, Laguna.

Police are looking at the possibility that one of the victims was involved in illegal drugs.

Another victim, meanwhile, allegedly had a spat with a Chinese partner shortly before they were taken.

Frejas said the victims’s relatives have been told to inform police right away should the alleged abductors get in touch with them.

“Sa ngayon, wala pa rin paramdam sabi nila, pero tuloy-tuloy naman po ’yung ano, ’yung nagtatanong-tanong na rin sila, kasi itong mga kamag-anak nila ay hindi, wala silang trabaho, at hindi rin nila alam kung ano yung totoong activities nitong mga kanilang kamag-anak,” he said.

“Ang alam lang nila, yung iba dito online seller and yung iba naman ay jobless talaga.” — TeleRadyo, 4 November 2021