Kidnappers demand PhP60-M ransom for 2 captives seized in Zambo Sur town

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 13): Kidnappers demand PhP60-M ransom for 2 captives seized in Zambo Sur town

Mayor Richard Garban has appealed to the kidnappers holding captives a child and a bakery worker to release their hostages on humanitarian grounds.

Still in the hands of the kidnappers are Ace Jay Garban, three, and a bakery worker, Ledegie Tomarong, 17.

Mayor Garban made the appeal in a press conference Sunday, citing the families of the two captives do not have the capability to pay ransom.

The appeal of the mayor came after the kidnappers have demanded PhP60 million ransom or at PhP30 million each in exchange for the release of the two captives.

The mayor said the kidnappers made known of their demand through text messages sent to the families of the two hostages.

Garban and his younger sister, Zynielle Jay, two and Tomarong, were seized by 10 gunmen during a shootout in the afternoon of March 31 at the fish port in Barangay Poblacion, this town.

The shootout ensued as alerted policemen pursued the gunmen, who failed to seize their kidnapping target, businesswoman Chzarenia Kapa Sajulga, who owns a bakery in Barangay Poblacion and the employer of Tomarong.

The gunmen made good their escape as they grabbed the three children, who were at the fish port, and made them as human shields that prevented the policemen from further pursuing them.

The gunmen killed Zynielle Jay, whose remain was fished out from sea by fishermen in the morning of April 3 near the shore of this town.

The Garban children are the grandchildren of the mayor of this municipality.

Police and military operatives are continuously tracking down the whereabouts of the victims.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=752546