Basketball player reported missing in Pampanga, believed kidnapped

A 26-year-old basketball player in the Magalang town in Pampanga has been missing for several days after he was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified suspects while repairing a motorcycle.

According to CJ Torida’s report on GMA Regional TV’s “One North Central Luzon”,  Arlan Laxamana went missing on Wednesday, October 5 after he told his family he would fix his motorcycle.

“Sabi po ng mga nakakita bumili lang daw po ng yosi ‘yung kasama ko, si Arlan. Pagbalik niya raw po dalawang kotse na nakaparada tapos bumaba na ‘yung mga tao, dun na po siya kinuha," said Mary Grace Dural, the victim’s partner.

(Witnesses said they saw Arlan buying cigarettes. When he returned to the motorcycle, there were already two cars parked in the area. There were people who got out of the car and nabbed him.)

A CCTV footage caught the license plate of one of the vehicles. The local police said they already coordinated with the Land Transportation Office or LTO to identify the car’s owner.

Laxamana’s family is clueless about the suspects’ motives.

“Ibalik po nila ‘yung anak ko ng buhay. Nagmamakaawa po ako sa inyo kung sino man po ang kumuha sa kaniya. Kung may nagawa man po siyang kasalanan, mayroon pong batas. Balik niyo po sa akin ng buhay ang anak ko. Kawawa po ‘yung anak ko,” Myra Laxamana, the victim’s mother, said.

(Whoever kidnapped my child, please bring him back alive. If he had done something wrong, let’s resolve it through legal means. Please bring him back.)

Meanwhile, authorities vowed to pursue the case until the victim was found.

“Ongoing pa ‘yung investigation para malaman natin ‘yung motibo at kung sino ‘yung posibleng gumawa sa kanya ng ganoon. Nakakuha tayo ng mga CCTV [footages] at doon tayo nagba-backtrack. Dahil nga player siya ng basketball, may mga ibang anggulo tayong tinitingnan kung anong pwedeng motibo,” Magalang Police Station Chief Lt. Col. Benjamin Gabriel Jr. said.

(The investigation is still ongoing for us to establish the possible suspects and motives. We obtained CCTV footage and we’re backtracking. Because he was a basketball player, we’re looking from many angles.)

Anyone who has information on Laxamana’s whereabouts may contact the following numbers: 0915-599-9759 or 0995-972-5362. -- Sundy Locus/BAP, GMA News