Do Not Sensationalize News On British Man, Zamboanga Mayor Appeals

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 10, 2008) – Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat has appealed to the local press not to sensationalize the news on a British man who was reported missing here.

Lobregat’s appeal came after media reports suggested the disappearance of James David Rowe was related to kidnapping.

“Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday appealed to the media not to blow up the story concerning the alleged missing British national suspecting it to be a case of a transaction that has gone sour,” a statement said.

Senior Superintendent Lurimer Detran, Zamboanga City police chief, told Lobregat that Rowe’s companion, Kung Kwan Kung, a Chinese national, reported that the Briton had been missing for two days already.

“Detran brought the complainant to Mayor Lobregat to explain the circumstances that led to the report on the missing British national, as media members try to pass the incident as a kidnapping case,” the statement said.

It said based on investigation, Rowe, who is residing in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and Kung, of Paranaque City in Luzon, are partners in a business deal involving outboard engines.

Rowe was supposed to provide the engines amounting to P400, 000 that Kung paid to him earlier. The two were billeted at a local hotel but a day after they checked in, Rowe disappeared causing Kung to report the incident, it said.

“My appeal is to the media, please do not blow this up, this is probably a transaction that has gone sour. These two individuals have a business transaction that hash not pushed through,” Lobregat said.

Prior to his disappearance, Kung told the police that Rowe was asking about the fastest way to go to Cebu City near Negros province, which led authorities to suspect that the British man had flown out of Zamboanga.

Lobregat has ordered Detran to closely coordinate with the San Carlos City Police and agencies concerned to trace the whereabouts of the British national.

Detran said local investigators have coordinated with the San Carlos Police and are waiting for reports. “He vowed to look into the matter even if it is a case of a bitter transaction,” the statement said.