Couple nabbed for kidnapping of baby
A couple who kidnapped a 19-day-old baby girl from Tigbauan were arrested Tuesday afternoon by policemen at Brgy. Igtalongon, Igbaras, Iloilo.
Tigbauan Police Station chief, Insp. Abner Jordan, said suspects Phoebe Templo, 38, of Brgy. Danao, Tigbauan and Elson Examin, 35, of Brgy. Igtalongon, will be charged for kidnapping of minor under Article 270 of the Revised Penal Code.
Police report showed that last Friday, Templo told the baby’s mother she will bring the baby to the cousin of her employer in La Paz district, Iloilo City, who heads a foundation that gives assistance to women who gave birth.
The mother, Joy Taghonera, agreed upon Templo’s promise that she would return the baby Saturday morning.
When the suspect failed to return the baby on the agreed time, the baby’s mother reported her child’s disappearance to the police Saturday afternoon.
Jordan said they coordinated with La Paz Police Station to locate the suspect’s alleged employer but they could not find the person.
They also failed to find the suspect at her aunt’s house in Guimbal. In Tigbauan, the policemen went to the Templo residence and the suspect’s family revealed that Templo, who was married with three children, has a lover in Brgy. Igtalongon, Igbaras.
When policemen went to the area Tuesday afernoon, they found Templo holding a baby.
She told policemen the baby boy was hers, claiming that she gave birth last September 4. Examin backed her claim.
But when policemen checked, they saw the baby was a girl.
“We arrested them upon seeing that the baby is a girl,” Jordan said.*
