Police are investigating an alleged kidnapping incident captured on video near the Tagbilaran City Integrated Bus Terminal in Barangay Dao on Wednesday afternoon, March 11, raising renewed public concern over crime in Bohol and safety in Bohol.
The Tagbilaran City Police Station (TCPS) said the incident only came to their attention after a video of the alleged abduction began circulating on social media. Upon learning of the footage, police personnel immediately proceeded to the area to verify the report.
In the viral video, a man could be seen being forcibly taken from his motorcycle and pushed into a white vehicle parked along the roadside near the bus terminal. The vehicle then sped away, according to the footage that has since drawn widespread attention online.
Despite the alarming video, police said no family member of the alleged victim had filed an official complaint as of this writing.
Lt. Col. John Kareen Escober, chief of the TCPS, said in interviews with local radio stations that authorities were surprised that no one immediately reported the incident, even though several people were reportedly present in the area when the alleged abduction took place at around 3 p.m.
Escober said investigators have already obtained the plate number of the vehicle seen in the video and are now verifying its registration details as part of the ongoing probe.
Police are also working to identify and locate the person who uploaded the video online to gather additional information and help determine what exactly transpired near the terminal.
As part of the investigation, authorities are tracing the body numbers of tricycles operating in the area at the time of the incident so drivers who may have witnessed the alleged kidnapping can be interviewed.
The incident has again placed the spotlight on crime in Bohol, particularly in busy public transport areas where large numbers of commuters and travelers pass through daily. It has also raised fresh questions about safety in Bohol, especially among residents and passengers who frequent the Dao terminal area.
Meanwhile, Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado has offered a P50,000 reward for anyone who can provide credible and verifiable information that may lead to the identification and arrest of those responsible.
Authorities urged the public to cooperate with investigators, assuring that the identities of informants will be kept confidential.
As the investigation continues, police have yet to release a final determination on the case. For now, the incident remains an alleged kidnapping under investigation, even as it continues to fuel public discussion about crime in Bohol and the state of safety in Bohol.
