Thursday, July 24, 2008 PNP tracks down abductors to rescue Basilan captives By Bong Garcia
TROOPS of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are continuously tracking down the whereabouts of the abductors who recently seized three people in the island province of Basilan, a police official said Wednesday.
Basilan police provincial director Salik Macapantar said he has not received report yet from the Lamitan City police chief who is in charge in pursuing the abductors and locating the victims' whereabouts.
The victims -- passenger jeep driver Ronillo Ando, 38, Wilma Magno, and her unidentified 14-year-old son -- were seized by five unidentified gunmen last Sunday in Barangay Baas, Lamitan City.
The gunmen brought the victims and the passenger jeep towards the direction of Tuburan town, which is adjacent to the city of Lamitan.
"They are still in the area of Tuburan. That's the latest information that we have gathered," Macapantar said.
He emphasized that there were no demands yet made by the abductors, who are believed to be members of a kidnap-for-ransom-group (KFRG).
Macapantar said they have yet to establish the identities of the suspects "who appear to be a separate and a new group."
Last Sunday's abduction is the third that took place in Basilan province this year.
The first was the four workers of the Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) who were seized last June 26 in Barangay Sinulatan, Tuburan town. They were freed last July 10.
The second was the two technicians of a Globe telecommunications sub-contractor who were seized last July 16 in Barangay Languyan, Mohammad Ajul municipality.
The two technicians, namely, Pilardo Tolentino and Jayson Constancia were rescued last Friday in Barangay Tuburan proper, Mohammad Ajul town.
Macapantar said his command is verifying the text messages they received concerning the fate of the victims of last Sunday's abduction.
"We are studying and validating which among the text messages are true or not," he said.
