Suspects in Zambo Sibugay tutors' kidnapping identified - police
By QUEENIE CASIMIRO, ABS-CBN News Zamboanga | 03/19/2009 2:01 AM
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Police have tagged an alleged notorious group of lawless elements operating in Zamboanga Sibugay province as the alleged perpetrators of the kidnapping of three public school teachers in Naga town last March 13.
Senior Superintendent Federico Castro, Zamboanga Sibugay police chief and who also chairs Task Force Bangkaw-Bangkaw, presented to media on Wednesday pictures and artist's sketches of four of the suspects. They were identified as Kamsa Asdanal, his two unidentified sons, a certain Ging-ging Kamlon and Mohammad Arani alias Gigi.
"They are local lawless elements, considered as pirates operating in the seas of Sibugay," Castro said, " they are extorting money from everyone and anyone they meet."
Castro explained that the group probably wanted to retaliate for the death of one of their members. Castro revealed that last March 10, elements of Army's 18th Infantry Battalion encountered the group in RT Lim town resulting in the wounding one of the suspects who was later identified as a cousin of Kamsa. On March 11, the said suspect died and was burred the following day.
Castro said he believes the plan to kidnap the teachers was hatched only that day, as a retaliation for the death of Kamsa's kin. The teachers were seized on March 13 in the seas of Bangkaw-Bangkaw, Naga while they were on their way home to the town center on board a motorized pumpboat.
Police revealed that there were indications that the kidnappers brought their captives to Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan province. However, they said "there is also a possibility that they are still in our area considering the naval blockade established, it might have been difficult for them to leave the territory of Zamboanga Sibugay."
Ransom demand relayed
Castro also confirmed however that the group has already relayed their ransom demand in exchange for the victims' freedom, though the police official refused to divulge the exact amount as of yet.
The government official negotiating with the kidnappers reportedly last talked to the abductors at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The negotiator, who was not named, reportedly heard the voices of the teachers, which convinced the government task force that all three captives are alive.
The task force was quick to clarify however that the negotiations that were launched were purely for the safe release of the teachers and not for any monetary demand. "We are abiding by the government's no ransom policy," Castro said.
Nicerio Napigkit, in-charge of the Governor's office said, "we adhere to the no ransom policy."
Napigkit also called on Zamboanga Sibugay residents to join the provincial government in the collective condemnation of the teachers' kidnapping.
Victims' families plead for release of kin
Meanwhile, Helen Tarukan, elder sister of captive Jocelyn Inion, could barely control her tears as she appealed to the kidnappers to release her sister and her co-teachers. Inion has been teaching for nine years in Bangkaw-Bangkaw.
Tarukan said the kidnapping of three other teachers in Landang Gua, Zamboanga City has caused them to ask Jocelyn to take extra care in reporting to her school. Tarukan added that they could not ask her sister to find a safer school to teach since there was no vacant teaching position elsewhere.
"Pobreng teachers lang sila," Tarukan said, " Siguro may mga anak din kayo na nag-aaral, para sa kanila naman ang ginagawa ng kapatid ko at mga kasamahan niya. Wala silang pinipili na turuan, mapa-Kristiyano man o Muslim, lahat pantay-pantay tingin nila."
Elmer Mandi, husband of Noemi, said he is worried for the health of his wife whom he said has just undergone an operation to remove a cyst from her ovary.
"Wala na ‘yon siya gamot doon ngayon, paano na lang siya? ‘Yong dala niya, daily ‘yon, pang-Biyernes lang." Elmer said.
Noemi has been teaching in Bangkaw-Bangkaw for 13 years now. Elmer said that when he married Noemi, she was already teaching in the said school. "Nahirapan din kasi siya maghanap ng ibang mapag-tuturuan kasi doon lang meron item," Elmer explained.
Elmer added, his wife was also happy teaching in Bangkaw-Bangkaw where she has made many friends in the community.
Rodel Enriquez, husband of Jocelyn Enriquez meanwhile brought their three sons with him during the Task Force's press conference. He said their youngest child is often crying and looking for his mother.
Deserted school
The kidnapping of the three teachers has caused the four other teachers of Bangkaw-Bangkaw Elementary School to stop reporting to school since Monday. Pupils of the school were seen playing in the school grounds on Wednesday morning, while their classrooms were padlocked.
Abubakar Nieto, former barangay chairman of Bangkaw-Bangkaw said, the students did not have classes since Monday since not one teacher has reported to work after their colleagues were seized by four armed men.
Cynthia Alsree, a rural health midwife in the area, said that although she has lived eighteen years of her life in Bangkaw-Bangkaw, she now fears for her safety every time she reports to the health center.
"Kailangan talaga may permanent na mag-secure dito," Alsree said.
Both Nieto and Alsree said that there was never a kidnapping incident in their village before. Nieto said, "the kidnappers never set foot in their village, but once in a while were sighted by fishermen in the sea."
Nieto asked that a checkpoint be established in Bangkaw-Bangkaw to allay the fears of the residents and to bring back the confidence of the teachers.
A representative of the Department of Education has reportedly promised to coordinate with the police and the military, to arrange security measures to be implemented for the teachers in other coastal and critical areas who are still holding classes.
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