How lola and grandson were rescued in Zamboanga

From ABS-CBN (Sep 8): How lola and grandson were rescued in Zamboanga

Ipil mayor says abductors run out of fuel supply

The mayor of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Eldwin Alibutdan, said the recent rescue of an abducted retired district school supervisor and her grandson off Zamboanga City was a team effort by different law-enforcement agencies in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Alibutdan said, prior to the abduction of Isabel Muyargas and her 5-year-old grandson Kyle Hamad, military units had established a maritime blockade in some strategic areas outside Zamboanga Sibugay and nearby cities.

Muyargas and her grandson were rescued in the coastal village of Tumitus in Zamboanga City Monday afternoon, more than 24 hours after they were abducted from their residence in Barangay Bangkerohan in Ipil.

Alibutdan said the abductors had no plans of stopping over in Tumitus Island, but their motorized pump boat ran out of gasoline, prompting them to leave their captives with only one armed companion.

Muyargas and her grandson found an opportunity to escape from their lone captor, and ended up in the residence of a barangay councilor of Tumitus.

The councilor’s wife called her husband, who then coordinated with the local police.

Police Senior Inspector Salvador Galvez said they immediately went to Tumitus Island to verify the information they got from the councilor.

They then immediately secured Muyargas and her grandson and brought them to the Zamboanga City Medical Center for a medical check-up.

The 68-year-old retired district school supervisor has been suffering from pancreatic cancer. Prior to the abduction, she had undergone several chemotherapy sessions.

Fortunately, she did not sustain any injuries during the ordeal.

Alibutdan said the local police in Ipil arrested a person who might have been involved in the abduction of Muyargas and her grandson.

However, the police has yet to file formal charges against the suspect for lack of direct link to the abduction.

Police are also working on the composite computer sketch of the abductors of Muyargas and her grandson based on the facial descriptions they got.

This would form part of their case build-up, together with the testimonies of Muyargas and her grandson.

Meanwhile, the municipal government of Ipil is planning to beef up security in some coastal villages identified as possible entry and exit points of kidnap-for-ransom groups.

A number of detachments and community police action centers will be established to maintain tight security in coastal areas.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/09/08/15/how-lola-and-grandson-were-rescued-zamboanga