COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/10 January) – Kidnappers who seized a businessman at gunpoint Saturday night at the roadside parking area of the city’s premier hotel are demanding “some amount” for his freedom, Police Senior Supt. Willie Dangane, City Police Director, said.
This, as the Crisis Management Committee was convened Sunday to find ways to secure the freedom of the 56-year old Eulogio “Ading” Lim Yu, owner of Yuking Guan Trading, said.
Yu is the third kidnap victim in the city under the six-month administration of Mayor Japal Guiani, Jr.
Guiani said Yu’s abduction is “the handiwork of lawless elements whose motives are financial gains and to destroy the peace and harmony in the city.”
He called on Muslim religious leaders here to help the government in toppling down these criminal acts.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Jalandoni, chief of the Marines’ 7th battalion, said the kidnapping took less than a minute so all that the law enforcers could do was just to block the possible exit points.
“We are imploring to all the people of Cotabato City to inform us immediately,” Jalandoni said, adding the life of the victim is at stake.
Oscar Tan-Abing, president of the City Grocers’Association, said that despite the incident, they trust the local authorities will be able to recover the victim.
Also present during the Crisis Management Committee meeting were the 37 barangay chairs.
Abdillah Lim, president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) yesterday said the barangay officials will be on the alert and will be closely coordinating with the law enforcement agencies in case they monitor some movement in their own barangays.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front in its website, luwaran.net, vowed to help rescue the victim. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)