An educators' group is urging the government to address the spate of kidnapping incidents in Southern Mindanao victimizing teachers.
According to Benjo Basas, national chairperson of Teachers' Dignity Coalition, the unabated kidnapping has traumatized teachers especially those assigned in remote areas, with some of them already afraid to report for work.
“The bandits are back to their kidnapping business in Zamboanga Peninsula," Basas said.
The coalition said that on December 18, days before Christmas, a group of armed men abducted 23-year-old Cathy Mae Casipong, a teacher in Sibugtoc Elementary School in Zamboanga City.
"Teacher Cathy remains in the hands of her kidnappers,” Basas said.
Earlier, three more teachers from the city's Landang Gua Elementary School were also kidnapped by bandits, according to Basas. They are Freires Quizon, Janette de los Reyes, and Rafael Mayonado, who were abducted on January 23, 2009 on Siacol Island.
Kidnappers freed the victims on May 27 of the same year after the teachers' families reportedly gave an undetermined amount to cover for the "board and lodging" of the hostages.
The incident was followed by the March 13, 2009 abduction of three more teachers from Bangkaw-bangkaw Elementary School in Zamboanga Sibugay by suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Noemi Mandi, Jocelyn Inion and Jocelyn Enriquez were released on September 23, 2009 after their relatives also reportedly gave the ASG undetermined amount to cover for the victims' board and lodging.
On October 19, 2009, the ASG also abducted Gabriel Canizares, principal of Kanague Elementary School in Sulu.
Canizares was killed by his abductors after the victim's family reportedly failed to pay ransom to the ASG. His headless body was found on November 9, 2009 at a vacant lot in Jolo town.
Last month, Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II met with the Provincial Peace and Order Council of Sulu to discuss the spate of kidnappings in Basilan.
According to Gazmin, there were at least 17 kidnap victims still in the hands of the ASG in Sulu alone.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/78453/group-urges-pnoy-govt-to-address-spate-of-teacher-kidnappings-in-mindanao
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