NCRPO clarifies viral Skyway video a robbery incident, not attempted kidnapping

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) clarified on Friday night, Sept. 9, that the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese national by his compatriots was not the same incident that was caught on CCTV, the footage of which has gone viral.

Police Lt. Col. Dexter Versola, NCRPO spokesperson, said the incident caught in a now-viral CCTV footage happened in Taguig City, and not in Paranaque City. This was contrary to what he previously stated.

In a phone interview, Versola said that the video did not show the attempted kidnapping of a 28-year-old Chinese man in Paranaque City on August 21 but a robbery case in Taguig City.

“Hindi ‘yon kidnapping according sa imbestigador but robbery, 'yung sa Taguig, sa Skyway pala ‘yon. Ibang kaso ‘yon (It was not actually a kidnapping case but a robbery incident in Taguig City Skyway, according to the investigator. It was a different case),” he said, without elaborating any further.

The Manila Bulletin tried to get the verified police report for the Taguig City incident, but Versola declined.

The 30-second video showed a car blocking the path of a van on a portion of what looked like a flyover. Gunmen in black appeared to be accosting the occupants of the blocked van, and looked like they were trying to retrieve something from the van.

A separate police report initially sent by Versola said there was a kidnapping attempt involving a 28-year-old Chinese man in front of the Pearl Plaza Building in Brgy. Tambo, Parañaque City last Aug. 21.