by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, April 17 (PIA) - - Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Governor Rolando E. Yebes has reiterated his call to the police and military personnel assigned in the province to hunt down the lawless elements and other terror groups that disrupted the peace and order condition in the area.
In a recently held Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting attended by municipal mayors, provincial board members, provincial heads of the different national government agencies (NGAs), military and police officials, Governor Yebes directed both the police and military personnel to immediately resolve “lawless activities in the province.”
Yebes cited the kidnapping of Mayor Jeffrey Lim, 37, of Salug town last April 2 who until now is still in the hands of his abductors.
The governor said “the kidnappers usually brought their victims to the jungles in the municipalities of Siocon, Sirawai, Sibuco and Baliguian where the military had rescued the American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham who were kidnapped in Dos Palmas resort in Palawan some years back. Martin Burnham died in Sirawai.
In a related development, Dipolog City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Atty. Paul Gudmalin has called on Governor Rolando Yebes to initiate efforts at maintaining the peace and order condition of the province. He said the provincial government has allotted P30 million each year as its intelligence fund and this should be used to prevent lawless elements from wrecking havoc in the area.
Businessmen here have expressed deep concern over a spate of kidnapping happening in the province victimizing mostly Filipino-Chinese businessmen.
Six months before Mayor Lim was kidnapped, a certain Franc Oliver Lim, a poultry magnate was kidnapped at his poultry farm in Gulayon, Dipolog City. He was released last February 22.
On the part of the police, P/Supt Divin Hamo Ceriales of the Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office (ZNPPO) said the “uncooperative attitude” of the families of the victims and the victims themselves had hampered them to identify the perpetrators. “The police would only then know that the victims were already released and no other information as to when and where they were freed,” he rued. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)
