Sunday, April 26, 2009

Zamboanga farm owner kidnapped

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 26, 2009) – Troops mounted an operation Sunday in an effort to track down a farm owner abducted by gunmen in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said five gunmen seized Doroteo Gonzales, 61, from his house late Saturday in the village of Buenavista.

“There is an operation to track down the victim. We still don’t know who were behind the abduction,” said Army Colonel Santiago Baluyot, commander of a military task force helping secure Zamboanga City from terror attacks.

The latest abduction brought to four the number of people seized in Zamboanga City since January.

Suspected Abu Sayyaf also kidnapped three government teachers Quizon Freires, 28; Janette Delos Reyes, 29; and Rafael Mayonado, 24. They were on a motorboat returning to Zamboanga from a working break when gunmen intercepted them at sea brought them to nearby Basilan Island.

The Abu Sayyaf demanded P6 million for their safe release.

Late last year, Abu Sayyaf gunmen also kidnapped a hospital nurse and a nursing student in Zamboanga City and brought them to Basilan and were ransomed off by their families several weeks later. (Mindanao Examiner)

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