By
Gideon C. Corgue
PITOGO, Zamboanga del Sur – The kidnappers are demanding P60 million as ransom for the safe release
of the three victims abducted here last March 31, according to Mayor Richard
Garban.
In a recent press conference held
at his office, Mayor Garban identified the culprits as belonging to the lost
command that demanded P30 million for each of the two remaining victims, Ace
Jay Garban, 2, and Ledegie Tomarong, 17.
It could be recalled that Ace Jay
Garban, Zynille Jay Garban, 3, and Ledegie Tomarong who were at the fish port,
were forcibly taken as human shields by the abductors last March 31 at 5:45
p.m. while fleeing from pursuing policemen after a botched operation targeting
a businesswoman, Chzarenia Kapa-Sajulga.
Three days after the incident,
Zynille Jay’s dead body was found floating in the sea, causing panic among the residents.
The mayor said the kidnappers
contacted their families and told them to raise the money.
“Dako kaayo ang kaguol ug kasubo sa mga pamilya sa
biktima tungod sa dakong kantidad sa salapi ang gipangayo sa mga kidnapper
bugti sa ilang kagawasan. Asa man nila pangitaon ang maong kantidad nga nga
ibayad nila? Tungod niini,
kinasingkasing kami nga naghangyo sa mga kidnapper nga ilang buhian ang makalooy
nga mga biktima,” Garban appealed.
(The victims’ families felt sad and
worried because the amount demanded by the kidnappers is quite. Where are they
going to get that money? With this, we are heartily appealing to the kidnappers
to release the victims.)
Tomarong’s parents are laborer and
house helper. Ace Jay is a nephew of Punong Barangay Jayjay Garban.
The government is strictly
implementing the “no-ransom policy” in dealing with the kidnappers.
Mayor Garban said “the suspects
have also their own families and they have children too. I believe the
abductors know deep in their hearts that they are also human beings and they
can understand the sad fate of their victims.”
The police and local officials are
still clueless as to the location of the victims. “We don’t have an idea where
exactly the victims are,” Garban reported.
Law enforcement agencies are
incessantly doing sea patrols along the municipal waters of the neighboring towns
to recover the victims.
