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Hon. Aragon Answers Press On His Father's Kidnapping
posted (January 11, 2019)
Tonight, more is known about the kidnapping of Orange Walk Resident Elodio Aragon Sr., a former UDP Minister, and the father of the current Police Minister of State, Elodio Aragon Jr.

As we reported last night, 70 year old Elodio Sr. was abducted early yesterday morning by men who broke into his home in Orange Walk Town. They tied him up, blindfolded him, and ransacked the home for whatever valuables they could steal.

They then placed him inside his Honda CR-V, drove him several miles out of the town, and surprisingly, they released him unharmed and drove away in his vehicle, which is still missing tonight.

We got a chance to speak with Elodio Jr. this morning about the very troubling incident. He told us that the thing that he and his family are most thankful for is that Elodio Senior's captors did not hurt him:

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr. - Minister of State, Police
"What he has told me is that he believes it was about 12 to maybe 1 a.m., he was at his home sleeping. He lives on the last road in Stadium Street area in Orange Walk. He said he was sleeping, and he was awoken by 2 persons who entered his room, and they quickly tied him [up] and blindfolded him, and proceeded to search the house. After that - well, he doesn't really have anything in his home, you know, because he lives by himself. After that, they took him and put him in his vehicle, and then, they drove off. They picked up somebody else on the road - he said - and from there, they continued driving. And after that, he felt they went off the highway, and then, they took him out of the vehicle, put him on the grass, and they told him to lie there and count - I don't know - to a thousand, or something to that effect, which he started, and the vehicle left. And after that, he left - well, he told us that he was released in terms of his - they tied him with his shirt or something, right. After that, he took off the blindfold, and he found that he was somewhere. He wasn't sure where he was. So, he proceeded to walk back from where he was brought. So, he walked and made his way out on the Posito feeder road, to the highway, to the Philip Goldson Highway, and from there, he sought assistance from a nearby farmer. After which, the farmer brought him to where I was."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Was he harmed in any kind of way?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.
"None at all, he said that they did not hurt him. That was his greatest fear, but that did not happen. And we are thankful of that because to us, all that matters is that he is uninjured and is in good health."

Daniel Ortiz
"Was anything stolen from his home? Was there anything stolen from his personal possessions?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.
"Yes well, I think they took all the valuables that he had, which he didn't have much of anyway, his watch, I think his wallet, his phone, and those are the things that they took from him."

Daniel Ortiz
"Do you all have any ideas as to why he was abducted against his will?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.
"Well, I don't have any idea about that. I look at it as an aggravated burglary, and yes, they kidnapped him, because you remove the persons from their home against their will. All I can say is that, whoever did this thing, from my old police experience is that if you're going to kidnap somebody for any kind of ransom or [something] like that, then you have to have some sort of plan. You have to take them somewhere; you have to make the call. And that was - it never looked like that was never a part of the plan."

Daniel Ortiz
"So, you think it was spontaneous and organic?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.
"Yes, I think they just played it as it went along, and at the end of the Day, I think that the just played it as it went along. At the end of the day, I think that it was if they left my father at home, more than likely, he would have gotten out and called the police."

Daniel Ortiz
"Persons have speculated to us that maybe there might be some other sinister motive for the kidnapping of your dad. We have to ask you, do you think that there is any such deeper meaning?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.
"When it comes to the rumors out there, I want to dispel that right now. Everybody knows my dad. And everybody in this town who knows me personally, my friends, my family, and the wider public that knows me personally, knows for what we stand for as a family, especially my dad, myself, and my family, and in terms of who are and what we believe in. So, definitely those things for us, we feel it when people put things out there. The media, and I've always asked the media, be responsible in what you do. But, I mean, that is out there, and we can't stop the rumors out there because people talk."

Minister Aragon told us that his father spent most of his morning today trying to get his affairs back in order, meaning replacing his phone, and cancelling his bank cards.

So, while Elodio Jr. and his family begin to take precautions for his father's personal security, police are investigating this incident, and their eagerness to find abductors are has outraged one family.

Roberto Campos, or "Mr Cheng", as the well-known tacos vendor is also called, reached out to the press this morning after his son, 18 year-old Charlton Campos, was picked up by police for questioning.

Now, the Campos family does not know for certain that police want to investigate him for Elodio Aragon Senior's kidnapping. But, they suspect that this is the reason because Charlton Campos is the current boyfriend of Elodio Senior's former spouse. Today, his father told us that his son is not involved in this crime:

Roberto Campos aka "Mr. Cheng" - Father of Detainee
"I was at my business, and I started to bring my empty pots. This was my first trip, and when I came, I saw them in my yard with heavy guns. As a matter of fact, I saw 3 of them in my room, and one of them in my hall. The only one I knew was Mr. Tillett. No, It's Mr. Tillett, right?"

"I asked him why he didn't come to my business and give me a search warrant to enter into my property. The CIB told me that he gave my son the search warrant, but my son never showed me anything."

"As I came, my son gave me my money. How did they get him to get into my draw? And I have money in my draw. What he gave me was a small plastic bag with some money, what happen with the rest of money. And my entire house is ransacked. You see, what happen, my son is Elodio Aragon Sr. - well, he married again to this lady, I guess she is Miss Banji they call her. She is a teacher from Muffles College, but she is now the girlfriend of my son, Charlton Campos. I guess that because they are not together, maybe the first person they will come and pick up is my son."

Reporter
"So, they took your son. Did they say exactly why?"

Roberto Campos
"They didn't tell, just for questioning."

Reporter
"So, you're saying that they took your son because they want to question him in reference to the kidnapping of Mr. Aragon."

Roberto Campos
"Well I guess so, sir. I guess so because he is the boyfriend."

"So, I'm not happy about that because he is working at business similar to Ready Call right here in Otro Benque on the Belize Corozal Road."

"They can ask the neighbors, he didn't even went out last night or the night before. Mr. Aragon, I don't know what you're going to thank about me but you got to come and offer me a big apology. I don't like this. My neighbors watching me like I'm a criminal, a kidnapper, and I have no need this. I praise the good Lord, and I raised my kids."

"We have no need to do this, and I'm mad about it. What I just hope is that they don't go and hurt my son. This is a family, I don't believe in doing mischief, and I didn't teach my son to do something like that."

Best information suggests that Charlton Campos remains detained at this time. Again, there is no confirmation that he is a suspect in the abduction.

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