Businessman’s daughter seized by gunmen in Zamboanga Sibugay

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 26): Businessman’s daughter seized by gunmen in Zamboanga Sibugay

Joint military and police forces are tracking down the whereabouts of a nine-year-old girl seized by five gunmen believed to be members of a kidnap-for-ransom-group (KFRG) in the nearby province of Zamboanga Sibugay.

Army’s 1st Infantry Division public affairs officer-in-charge Capt. Franco Suelto identified the victim as Princess Jewel Mariel Nique.

Suelto said Nique is the daughter of James Nique, Jr., one of the known businessmen in Oluntanga town.

Suelto said the victim was seized around 4:20 p.m. Friday in Barangay Solar, Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Suelto said the victim was seized by three of five gunmen who barged into the Nique family-owned eatery while the other two gunmen waited at their motorized banca.

Suelto said the gunmen, two of them armed with M-16 Armalite rifles, are believed to be residents of Barangay Taguisian, Mabuhay municipality.

He said the gunmen forced the victim to board on the motorized banca and sped on the high seas.

He said the troops from the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion launched intelligence operations in coordination with Olutanga police force to track down the victim’s whereabouts.

He added that all militia detachments in the coastal areas of Oluntanga and of the nearby areas were alerted to be on the lookout for the victim and the suspects.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=666523