CEBU CITY—A scion of a prominent family in Cebu City was abducted on Saturday by unknown suspects, but was released two hours later after he was beaten while blindfolded, police said.
Dr. Julian Iñaki Larrazabal Garcia, 26, had just finished his shift when he was seized by men and taken aboard a white Toyota HiAce van, with a temporary license plate marked 3151.
He is the grandson of Don Potenciano Larrazabal, who owns Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital.
He sustained bruises, abrasions and wounds on his head, face, body and knees, police said.
Garcia, who was set to take medical specialization exams this year, was recuperating at his residence in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
He has refused to comment on the incident.
“Police investigators and intelligence officers are very much eager to solve the case but for now, his family requested to allow him (Garcia) to take a rest and relax since he’s still traumatized by what happened,” said Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters.
Abducted, then freed
Garcia was about to board his vehicle after a 24-hour duty when four men, who wore bonnets, forced him to board the van parked next to his vehicle, just outside the hospital’s medical arts building at about 7:45 a.m.
A witness who saw the commotion immediately alerted the Fuente Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the place.
Three hours later, Garcia sent a private message to his younger brother’s Facebook account, saying he was freed by the abductors in Carcar City.
‘Don’t be afraid’
Garcia’s father, Juli, and godmother immediately went to fetch him.
A witness, Jhufel Dacillo, 22, said he saw Garcia being dropped off the van.
“Do not be afraid. We just want you to learn a lesson,” Garcia told Dacillo, quoting one of the suspects as telling him.
“He was blindfolded when he was dropped from the van. I decided to help him,” said Dacillo, who lent Garcia his mobile phone.
Tumulak said Garcia had no phone because he threw it away when he was being seized.
“He (Garcia) told me that the suspects blindfolded him inside the vehicle and punched him several times. He could not see their faces but he could hardly hear what the suspects talked about since he was so afraid,” Tumulak said.
Garcia refused to talk and was later brought by an ambulance from Carcar City to his home in Cebu City.
He has not received any threats prior to Saturday’s attack, and his abductors did not ask for any ransom money, Tumulak said.
Garcia, whose family hails from Ormoc City, is the eldest of four siblings. He has a girlfriend who works as a flight stewardess.