THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) refuted social media posts of alleged abduction incidents in Davao City that allegedly occurred on January 26 and February 3, 2025.
The first incident reportedly took place at Purok 8, Barangay Communal, Buhangin as posted by one Ayka Movilla.
Movilla warned residents about possible kidnappers circulating the area in a van and on a motorcycle and advised people to stay indoors for safety and to avoid isolated places, especially at night, saying:
“Pahibalo sa mga taga Buhangin nay mga sindikato ga kalat kalat para ma kidnap nag motor og nag van ang uban ma abtikon tas sa ato mga palibot paniid sa mga tao naka palibot og mahimo ayaw nalang gawas for safety og mo trabaho sa gabii make sure ang mo hatod sa inyo parente or sood nga silingan ninyo dool sa mga daghang tao ayaw adto sa mga lugar nga mingaw dili magkompyansa bisag sa Buhangin rana nahitabo mo baba gyapon na sila bisag asa nfa lugar sa Davao. Paki kalat. Daghan salamat.”
(Notice to the people of Buhangin: Syndicates are roaming around to abduct people, using motorcycles and vans. Let’s be alert and observant of our surroundings, observe the people around and for your safety, just stay indoors. If you need to work at night, make sure someone—like a relative or close neighbor—escorts you, and stay close to areas with lots of people. Avoid going to quiet places and don’t be complacent, even if this incident happened only in Buhangin. These criminals may still be active anywhere in Davao. Please spread the word. Thank you very much).
With this, DCPO Acting Director Police Colonel Hansel Marantan instructed the police commanders of both police stations to investigate the matter in coordination with local barangay officials.
According to the DCPO's report, the individuals involved in Movilla’s post, identified as Rica and her sister Rhenda, stated that while waiting for a tricycle, a black van with no license plate stopped near Rhenda. The driver briefly rolled down the window but left quickly when Rhenda ran to her sister.
The DCPO confirmed that there was no suspicious or criminal activity, and no signs of an attempted abduction were found.
“No suspicious or criminal activity was observed, and there is no evidence indicating an attempted abduction,” the DCPO said in a statement.
On Movilla’s post, she also claimed that a female voice was heard calling for help near their residence. However, the police found no evidence of such an incident, and checks by local authorities and barangay officials showed no reports of a missing person or abduction in the area.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page called 'Know My Leng' also shared a similar report, claiming that two children were almost abducted by a van in Milan, Bolton.
Despite there being no evidence, the netizen further described the incident, saying that the victims were allegedly grabbed and had their mouths covered but were later released after receiving help.
Currently, Marantan urged the public to report suspicious activities directly to the police to allow proper investigation and action. He also cautioned against spreading unverified information online, as it could create unnecessary panic, divert resources from real emergencies, and may lead to legal consequences in relation to Republic Act (RA) 10175, otherwise known as the Anti-Cybercrime Law, or Section 6(f) of Republic Act 11469, as applicable.
Marantan emphasized that the DCPO is dedicated to ensuring public safety and advised responsible sharing of information online. DEF
