Gunmen seize barangay official, 2 PCG men in Dapitan City

From the Philippine News Agency (May 4): Gunmen seize barangay official, 2 PCG men in Dapitan City

The local government of Dapitan City of the nearby Zamboanga del Norte province has activated a Crisis Management Committee (CMC) to address the abduction of a barangay official and two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel in that city.

This as policemen in coordination with the military forces are tracking down the whereabouts of the victims namely Roberto Bulagao, barangay chairman of Aliguay, Dapitan City; SN1 Rod Pagaling and SN2 Gringo Villaruz, both PCG members.

Aliguay is an island barangay of Dapitan City. It is located 10 nautical miles from the city’s mainland.

Supt. Divin Ceriales, Dapitan City police chief, disclosed the victims were seized by six gunmen clad in fatigue uniforms around 1:45 a.m. Monday in Aliguay.

The gunmen forced the victims to board on one of the two motorized bancas that sped towards the direction of Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte province.

Pagaling and Villaruz were temporarily detailed in Aliguay Island purposely to monitor the arrival and departure of motorized bancas ferrying tourists. All of the victims were unarmed.

The Island barangay of Aliguay is one of the tourist destinations of Dapitan City, dubbed as the Shrine City in the Philippines.

Ceriales said the motive of the abduction could be in retaliation to the strict campaign by the victims against illegal fishing near Aliguay Island.

Dapitan City Mayor Rosalina Jalosjos has convened the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) as well as the CMC to address the abduction incident.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=758482