The three barangay captains who were initially believed to have been abducted were confirmed to be in Tagbilaran City and were in safe condition, police said.
According to Insp. Andie Corpuz, chief of the Pilar Police Station, they were able to verify that barangay captains Renerio Ayop of Del Pilar, Expedito Bactas of Ilaud and Emilio Balaba of Lundag were checked in at a hotel in Tagbilaran City on Tuesday morning.
Zenaido Jaspe, barangay captain of Kagawasan Pilar, told authorities that the three village chiefs were together and were in Tagbilaran, said Corpuz.
Del Pilar, Expedito and Balaba denied that they were abducted even after their families filed reports before the police station noting that they had not returned home.
They also denied that they were forcibly made to board a van contrary to claims made by eyewitnesses.
Corpuz said that all three barangay captains went with Ayop’s relatives in going to Tagbilaran for a gathering.
According to Corpuz, it may have been a case of miscommunication when Ayop’s wife told authorities that the barangay chief told her that they were taken and confined inside a room.
“Siguro na misinterpret lang pod to kay lahi-lahi man pid tag pag sabot ug unsay gisulti pod ato, pero na ok raman pod pagka-kontak ug balik,” said Corpuz.
The families of the three village chiefs have been informed of their whereabouts and safe condition.
“Paghuman namo istorya nibalik pod sila sa hotel unya ingon sila nga mo uli ra kono sila ug anus-a nila gusto mo uli,” he added.
However, Corpuz admitted that they were alarmed with the situation based on statements made by eyewitnesses who believed that the three were abducted.
On Monday, eyewitnesses told authorities that they saw the three village chiefs being made to forcibly board a maroon-colored van.
The families of the barangay officials, in turn, filed reports before the police. (Allen Doydora)