2 minors ‘kidnapped’ in Mankayan, retrieved at Davao Oriental

By Ma Theresa Gunito-Pucay

MANKAYAN, Benguet -- A 49-year-old grandmother is now in jail after being denied bail for allegedly kidnapping two of her grandchildren here and bringing them to Mati City in Davao Oriental. A police report detailed what happened:

The story started morning of April 4 when accused Elizeria Clemente Rosal, 49, married, of Mati City, Davao Oriental, resident of Sitio Labaan, Tabio here and her son, Joecel Rosal (biological father of Joycel-Ann), went to the residence of Joycel-Ann at Caew, Bulalacao, also in this town and asked permission from her maternal grandmother, Regina Bastian, if they could take her with them to Baguio City to attend a graduation rite and would return her after the activity.

Since the accused is the paternal grandmother of Joycel-Ann, who had also been taking good care of her occasionally, Bastian allowed her to go with them.

In the afternoon of same date, Elizeria went to the residence of Elgen Thomas, located at Labaan, Tabio here and informed his mother,Madeline Natantan, that they would be going to Batoang, Itogon, Benguet, to attend a graduation ceremony, and Elgen Thomas, who was serving as her house helper, might be going with them.

However, his mother did not allow him to go with the accused. Despite preventing her son in going, she later learned after a few days from Melchor Balcac, owner and driver of the van rented by the accused, that he saw Elgen Thomas together with the family of the accused, when he ferried them to Baguio on April 5.

The accused continued their trip on the same date, bringing along the two minor victims to Davao Oriental without informing their parents.

The parents of the two minors tried to contact the accused several times through cellular phone but they received no response.

Sensing the futility of their efforts, the parents decided to report the matter to Mankayan police on May 16 who immediately conducted investigation and sought the residence of the Rosal family located at Poblacion, Mankayan to locate any member of the family and were able to chance upon Joecel Rosal who informed the policemen that his parents and brothers, together with the two minors went to Mati City for a visit with intention of returning to Mankayan.

However, they were stranded in the place due to typhoon “Bebeng.”

Other reason of not being able to return immediately to Mankayan, Benguet, was allegedly because of financial difficulty.

Joecel was then advised to persuade his mother to find ways and means to return the minors, with reminder that what his mother had done is a violation of law and failure to return the minors at the soonest possible time would redound to criminal action against her.

Complainants, as well as of witnesses were then taken and discreet interviews were also conducted in the neighborhood.

It was learned that Elizeria, mortgaged all their properties in Labaan, Mankayan.

Efforts were exerted to contact a sister of Joecel in Mati City, whose mobile phone number was provided by the latter, but got no concrete answers from her.

With this, legal action was taken against Elizeria with the filing of two separate cases of failure to return minors before the Prosecutor’s Office of Benguet on 10 June.

However, the two separate cases were merged into one information and was elevated to kidnapping with no bail recommended, Abatan Buguias.

A Warrant of arrest, dated July 12, 2011 was issued by Agapito K. Laoagan, Jr., presiding judge of RTC Abatan, Buguias.

Armed with such warrant, joint operatives from Mankayan and Benguet police office under direct supervision of Senior Supt. Benjmin Lusad proceeded to Davao Oriental.

Coordination with Mati police Station, Criminal Investigation Detection Group and Regional Intelligence Unit XI was done, resulting to arrest of the accused the retrieval of her two victims.

The accused was brought back to Mankayan while victims were reunited with their respective parents.

Meanwhile Elizera was jailed at the provincial jail in La Trinidad, Benguet.