Government authorities have launched pursuit operations
aimed at rescuing a retired education official and a child abducted on Sunday
by gunmen in the province
of Zamboanga Sibugay
Senior Supt. Celso Bael, Zamboanga Sibugay police director,
identified the victims as Isabel Muyargas and her grandson, Kyle Hamad, five of
Ipil municipality, the province’ capital.
Bael said Muyargas was the former superintendent of the
Department of Education’s (DepEd) Zamboanga Sibugay Division of Schools.
Bael disclosed Muyargas and her grandson were seized by two
gunmen around 11:40 a.m. Sunday from her residence in Bangkerohan, a coastal
barangay in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
He said the victims were dragged to the shore where they
were forced to board on one of the two waiting motorized bancas that sped to
the high seas.
He said they have immediately coordinated with the military
forces and other police units to assist them in tracking down the whereabouts
of the victims and rescue them.
He said that thorough probe is ongoing in a bid to unmask
the identities of the gunmen behind the abduction.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=800993
Probably kidnap-for-ransom activity. If past precedent holds true, the victims will wind up in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) probably on the island of Jolo.
ReplyDeleteNo group has claimed responsibility for the apparent kidnapping, however it should be kept in mind that suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen kidnapped Mayor Gemma Adana, of Naga town near Ipil.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, a number kidnappings in the vicinity of Ipil have been linked by Philippine authorities to Abral Abdusallam – one of the most notorious kidnap gang leaders in western Mindanao.