HOUSEHELP, BEAU NABBED FOR KIDNAPPING BABY GIRL
A 36-YEAR-OLD househelp and her boyfriend were arrested on Thursday night, May 19, 2022, for abducting a fourmonth-old baby girl in Alegria town, southern Cebu.
Adelyn Homicillo Letegio, 36, and her boyfriend Monico Plando, 30, were arrested inside the house of a relative in Barangay Obong, Dalaguete town by local police based in Dalaguete and Alegria at around 9:10 p.m.
Police officers also rescued four-month-old Aleeza Lodovice dela Peña, who was unharmed.
The two were arrested just two days after the baby girl’s parents sought the help of police after she was abducted by Letegio.
Lt. Alexius Tangub, Alegria town police chief, told SunStar Cebu that Letegio and Plando conspired to abduct the infant.
Tangub said they were able to trace the two suspects after Letegio’s friends communicated with them through Facebook.
When they secured Letegio’s FB profile, Tangub said they immediately communicated with her and appealed for her to return the baby to her parents.
Letegio reportedly told police that she already brought the baby to Negros Island. Tangub, however, doubted Letegio’s statement and contacted her friends to determine her whereabouts.
An informant close to the suspect eventually provided information to the police that he saw Letegio and Plando at the house of a relative in Barangay Obong in Dalaguete.
Tangub said they immediately coordinated with their colleagues in Dalaguete town to conduct a joint operation to recover the baby.
Tangub, his personnel and local police from Dalaguete led by Maj. Gilfred Baroman immediately went to the house mentioned by their informant.
During their operation, they not only found Letegio and Plando but also the baby, who was lying in a makeshift hammock.
SunStar Cebu tried to get Letegio’s comment but she refused to issue a statement.
Though he denied he was involved in kidnapping the baby, Plando admitted to police that he helped Letegio in looking for a safe place where they could evade arrest.
Tangub said they are looking at the possibility that the suspects planned to sell the baby.
Tangub added that Letegio had been working as a househelp for the baby’s parents for more than a month.
Letegio reportedly received P200 a day for her househelp work.
Letegio has five children from her estranged husband. Plando works as a farmer. Local police are set to file kidnapping charges against Letegio and Plando.