Police Probe Kidnapping Incident in Tagbilaran Involving Stolen Plate Number
Tagbilaran City Police Station has initiated an investigation into a kidnapping case that occurred outside the Dao Terminal in Barangay Dao, Tagbilaran City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The authorities have traced the owner of the plate number used on the vehicle involved in the abduction of an unidentified male victim.
Discovery of Stolen or Fake Plate Raises Alarms
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel John Kareen Escober, chief of the Tagbilaran City Police, officers were shocked to learn through the Land Transportation Office (LTO) that the plate number MN 6171 is actually registered to a motorcycle, not a car. This plate is listed under the name of Oscar R. Cabañero, a resident of Balindog, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. This discrepancy suggests that the suspects likely used a stolen or counterfeit plate on the white vehicle employed in the crime.
No Family Reports Filed, Police Issue Urgent Appeal
Escober expressed surprise that, to date, no family members have approached the police station to report the incident or inquire about the victim. "No one has come to our station looking for their husband, child, or sibling. We continue to appeal to any family with a missing member to please come forward to the police station," he stated. This lack of reporting complicates efforts to identify the victim and understand the motives behind the kidnapping.
Evidence Challenges and Investigation Hurdles
The investigation faces significant challenges due to a shortage of evidence. Key findings include:
- There are no CCTV cameras in the area where the kidnapping took place, limiting visual documentation of the event.
- A motorcycle found overturned at the scene does not belong to the victim; witnesses reported it was parked on the roadside but was used to drag the victim before he was forced into the car.
- The individual who posted a video of the incident on social media refused to provide a statement, claiming they were not the original recorder of the footage.
- Police discovered that the person who uploaded the video is known as a staunch critic of the Governor of Bohol Province, adding a potential layer of complexity to the case.
Authorities are conducting a deep investigation to identify both the victim and those responsible for the kidnapping. The case remains ongoing as police work to gather more clues and resolve this troubling crime in Bohol.
