Police ‘inaction’ on abduction of trader ‘very strange’ – Topacio

MANILA, Philippines — The “silence” and “inaction” of police on the abduction of a wealthy businessman, who was connected with an assassinated Batangas mayor, was “very strange,” his lawyer said Friday.

Allan Fajardo, who owns a scrap business and previously headed the anti-crime group of the late Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, was reportedly abducted at a four-star hotel at the Nuvali district in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Wednesday night.

Fajardo’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio said police has yet to make contact with the family of the abducted businessman.

“Walang tumatawag sa pamilya na pulis, wala sa akin,” Topacio said in a press conference when asked if police in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region has already made contact with Fajardo’s family about the abduction.

“It’s very strange ‘yung silence at inaction ng kapulisan dito sa kaso ni Mr. Fajardo,” Topacio added.

Topacio said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has to explain its silence and inaction on the case. He added that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also has to explain why such an incident happened during the election period when tight security measures are being implemented.

“(PNP) General Albayalde has to explain why this is happening. Comelec has to explain why nakakalusot itong mga ganito,” he said.

Topacio said he also wonders how could such incident have happened despite heightened security measures being implemented in the country such as checkpoints and the gun ban, because of the election period.

He said around 30 armed men barged into the hotel where Fajardo was dining and forced him to board a van at gunpoint.

READ: Slain Batangas mayor’s aide, trader ‘abducted’ in Laguna

“Election period ngayon, may mga checkpoint, ang mga pulis bago makapagdala ng side arm, dapat in Type A uniform,” Topacio said in a press conference.

“Hindi ko po malaman kung paano nangyari ito without the blessings of powerful people maybe in the police or the military,” he added.

He said Comelec has lapses in allowing such an incident happen despite the increased security measures during the election period.

“More or less 30 persons na hindi nakaregulation uniform, na may long arms, nakapasok sa Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, inside a business hotel where other people are present tapos pindapa lahat pati mga bata, pati mga babae, tinapakan sa ulo at kinuha si Mr. Fajardo in full view of the public,” Topacio said.

“How can this happen? Eh may pagkukulang din ang Comelec natin dito eh. Hindi ito liblib na probinsya, hindi ito NPA (New Peoples’ Army) infested na teritoryo. In the middle of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, a highly-urbanized locality, nangyari po ito,” he added.

Topacio also bared that Fajardo had enemies in the Calabarzon police, adding that there are cases filed by the missing businessman before the Ombudsman against some police officers, including a police colonel.  /muf