Man behind mayor’s abduction named

From Tempo (Apr 9): Man behind mayor’s abduction named

The brother of the slain leader of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom group operating in Zamboanga Sibugay and nearby areas is believed to be behind the abduction of Naga Mayor Gemma Adana on Sunday night.

Abral Abdusalam, brother of Waning Abdusalam who was killed in 2011, was identified by witnesses as one of three heavily-armed men who barged inside the mayor’s house near the shoreline, according to local police.

Sources said Abral may have assumed leadership of the criminal group used to be headed by Waning.

The kidnap-for-ransom group has amassed a huge sum of money that it was able to build a fortified camp in the town of Payao.

In October of 2011, combined police and military forces flushed out Waning’s group using air and naval assets. Waning was injured during the assault.

Months after the clash, the wife of Waning sought the assistance of an imam (roughly equivalent to a Mosem priest) for the burial of her husband in Zamboanga City.

For the third straight day, police and military forces continued to search for the abducted local chief executive.

Military reports indicated that the suspects may be heading to Sulu or Basilan to escape.

Basilan and Sulu are known to be lairs of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). In the past, there were cases that some armed groups would kidnap victims in mainland Mindanao and brought them to ASG.

The arrangement is that the ASG would be the one to negotiate for the ransom and the armed men who operated the kidnapping would get their share.

Sought for comment, national police spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo, Jr., said they expect filing of appropriate charges against the perpetrators.

He also disclosed that a Crisis Management Committee (CMC) was already created to handle the unconditional release or safe rescue of Adana.

Adana was entertaining female visitors from Bukidnon at home when heavily-armed men, wearing bonnets, interrupted the merrymaking and dragged her into a motorized banca.

http://www.tempo.com.ph/2015/04/09/man-behind-mayors-abduction-named/