Kidnapping in Batangas?

Could it be true? There are rumors, unconfirmed reports that kidnap for organ syndicate is going around to abduct young children. These children and even adults are being kidnapped for their internal organs, like their eyes, heart, and kidney which are being sold in hospitals. The culprits would just drop off the victims’ body back to where they were kidnapped and would insert money in the cadaver.

We received some forwarded messages from relatives in Batangas about some kidnapping incident near their place. The message originally came from a certain mayor of Taysan Batangas, warning the public about the kidnap for organ syndicate using a van with plate number VMM 507.

Here’s the original message in case you haven’t read it yet.

Plate no. VMM 507, van na white, yun po yung mga nangunguha ng internal organ ng mga bata. Paki-forward sa mga iba. Text from vice mayor ng Taysan, Batangas. I-forward yan sa iba, di po yan biro. Sacrifice please. Baka makatulong kayo sa mga bata na nawawala at mga kabataan. Text by sir Malaya caution tayo nasa Baguio daw sila. TY.

If it’s true I wonder why it’s not being reported in primetime news program such as 24 Oras and TV Patrol World? Or did I just miss it?

In an article in Sunstar Baguio yesterday,

…according to Baguio City Police Chief Moises Guevarra, the controversial text message is not true. He called Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, director of Police Regional Office 4-A, to verify about this last Friday morning. “He confirmed this warning did not come from the vice mayor of Taysan, Batangas,” he said.

This was also confirmed by Chief Inspector David Mariano, BCPO Operations Branch chief, when he said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has not received any report yet of anybody losing any internal organ, even in the province of Batangas.

In Pilipino Star Ngayon, a police officer said it’s just a ‘kwentong kutsero’ and they’re giving warning to those who are forwarding the text messages.

I really hope and pray it’s not true. But whether the gossip is true or not, it is better to be watchful and stay indoors rather than take the risk of being victimized if indeed the reports are true. Tsk.. Tsk…

March 30, 2008 Update:

from forwarded email…

Latest Phil. Kidnapping Syndicate: Victim’s Internal Organs Missing!

I don’t believe this story until last week end, when I went home from Pampanga, my mom told me this news. One of our neighbor witnessed the funeral. There is a grade 6 student near our barangay, who was missing for 2 days. There are posters of his picture everywhere… after how many days, the body was found with missing eyes and kidney… a Php20,000 was inserted on his body with a note “PAKI LIBING NA LANG…”

Hindi lang white van na yan ang gamit nila ngaun me green black at maroon. Me look-out nakamotor pag me nakita bata tinatawag dun sa kasama na nasa Van, take note me kasama na clang doktor na nag-aalis ng organ. Even sa mga subdivision nakapasok na rin sila kya inform nyo sa Guard nyo. Sa amin sa Dasma kahapon grabe dami Pulis at Barangay sa Gate Red Alert kasi me 3 bata nakuha around Dasmarinas, Cavite . Me 1 nakaburol sa AREA-H2 walang mata at Internal Organ with 70,000 na pera. Even yung Elem. School sa tapat ng subd. namin di na muna pinapasok yung mga bata kahapon grabe nakakatakot po. Sa Manggahan trece cavite mag-ina magkasama pilit na kinuha ung bata, lumaban ung nanay ayun binugbog tapos nadala ung bata last week un, nakita ung bata sa Paliparan patay na din wala ng organ at mata. Meron nga skecth nung isang kasama nakapost na din dun sa Gate ng subd namin. This morning in Kawit Cavite 2 bata, nawawla at sa Quezon 3 year old na batang babae nakita patay walang heart at kidney.

News: World
Kidnapping in Southern Luzon ,
Victim’s Internal Organs Missing
by Jean Stuart March 09, 2008

Kidnapping is rampant nowadays. Kidnappers usually asked ransom money from the parents of their victims. But lately, I was disturbed of the news about the kidnap victims whose internal organs were missing after they were found.

In Ibaan, Batangas four children were abducted. One of them was found with the pair of eyes missing and with Php 30,000 pesos on his/her mouth. Three were found with missing internal organs. There was also report in Tanauan, Batangas with a missing heart and Php 8,000 pesos on the hole of the victim’s chest. It’s really creepy.

Lately, there have been reports that the kidnappings is not only happening in Batangas. There were also similar incidents in Cavite and Laguna. Last Wednesday, March 5, my friend told me that there was a third year high school student (from a school in San Pedro, Laguna) was abducted on her way home. I still haven’t heard about what happened to the victim.

I heard that a syndicate is behind this kidnapping and they are selling the organs to the black market. Text messages and email messages has been circulating saying that a white van with plate no. VMM 507 is said to be the kidnappers van. In our place the cartographic sketch of the kidnapper and the plate no. of the vehicle used by the kidnapper were posted everywhere.

Residents in our area in Laguna were already afraid. Students going to school were now accompanied by their parents and yayas. It has been reported that the kidnappers where luring children going to and from school. Our school management even released a letter to parents to watch for their children when going to school and while playing.

Elmer B Realce
Dhahran Housing Inspection Unit

August 25, 2008 Update

Kidney syndicate’ kumpirmado – NBI
Monday, August 25, 2008
Pilipino Star Ngayon

Kinumpirma kahapon ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) na may nag-ooperate na mala­king sindikato sa bansa sa pagdukot ng mga ba­tang lalaki na tinatangga­lan ng vital human organs upang ipagbili sa dayu­hang pasyente kaya mi­nomonitor ngayon ang mga ospital at klinika sa bansa na nagsasagawa ng ‘illegal’ na removal par­tikular ng ‘kidney’.

Sa ginanap na Bali­taan sa Tinapayan sa Da­pitan, sinabi ni Atty. Fer­dinand Lavin, ng NBI-Anti-Human Trafficking Division, ang sindikato ay may base umano sa ba­hagi ng Northern Luzon, kung saan dinadala ang mga biktima, inaalagaan, pinapakain upang ihanda sa ‘removal procedure’ ng kidney.

Matapos umano ang pagkuha ng kidney ay ibini-biyahe ito patungong ibang bansa at doon isi­nasagawa ang transplant kung kaya nahihira­pan ang mga awtoridad na maaresto ang mga nasa likod ng sindikato.

Aniya, mas pinipili umanong tanggalan ng organ ang mga batang lalaki.