You Gotta Love The Philippines!

I got this from inq7.net. It's old news, but what the hell...

Internet kidnap plea takes a twist
Posted: 11:06 PM (Manila Time) | Sept. 19, 2003
Inquirer News Service

FOR ABOUT two weeks now, the picture of 19-year-old Maureen Elizabeth Pizzaro and the story of her alleged abduction have been circulating on the Internet.

As a consequence, the e-mail purportedly sent by her brother Kenneth generated much sympathy from people as far as the United States and Europe.

But as concern for Maureen grew, here comes a twist: the mother of her alleged kidnapper is saying that she had actually eloped.

Kenneth's appeal began with a warning: "May this e-mail open your eyes to the new modus operandi of abducting a person, that even in crowded places you may be abducted silently."

According to the e-mail, Maureen "was abducted last September 7 around 7:30 p.m. at the Hidalgo Exit of Quiapo Underpass."

The woman, her sister Janice and her mother had just come from hearing mass at the Quiapo Church and were on their way home to 738 San Diego St., Sampaloc, Manila.

According to the e-mail, Maureen just disappeared from the crowd.

On Firday, the woman was "released" by her "abductor."

Now it is the family of the alleged abductor, Rovic Aromin, 27, who is crying foul over the kidnap story.

Vilma, mother of Rovic and proprietor of Aromin Silvershop in Baguio City, said her son and Maureen had actually eloped.

She decried reports that tagged her son as Maureen's kidnapper.

According to Vilma, Rovic and Maureen met almost a month ago through the Internet.

On Sept. 7, Rovic went to Manila with two of Maureen's younger sisters, as one of them was to be interviewed for a job as a stewardess.

On Sept. 8, Rovic and Maureen were together all day, Aromin said. The two later apparently eloped and stayed in their ancestral house in Naguilian town, La Union province.

On Sept. 14, the two came up to Baguio and Maureen was introduced to Vilma. It was only then that they learned of Maureen's "kidnapping."

The next day, Maureen filed an affidavit that she "voluntarily joined Rovic... and I was not forced, coerced, threatened nor intimidated whatsoever."

Aromin said they were supposed to even go to Manila for a "pamanhikan" (a tradition where the groom and his parents formally ask the bride's parents for permission to marry their daughter) last Sept. 17.

Now, Vilma is saying she might just sue those who have been spreading stories that they abducted Maureen. Frank Cimatu

Funny thing about this is I may even know Aromin's brother: a grade school classmate named Johnny. Talk about your small world.