MANILA: Four people, including two children, were abducted by five armed men in Sulu yesterday morning, a local military official said.
Capt Ryan Lacuesta, civil military operations officer of the 2nd Marine Brigade based in Jolo town, said the victims were on their way to school when their vehicle was flagged down by the kidnappers.
The kidnap victims were identified as Mohammad Zaher, 10; Princess Raiza Karanain, 8; Almalyn Abuhail, 18; and Saddam Amlih. They are all residents of Alat village in Jolo.
Lacuesta said the kidnappers and the victims fled towards the direction of Anuling village in Patikul town.
He said Marines and police are now pursuing the kidnappers.
Fire kills three children
MANILA: Three children were killed after they were trapped inside their burning house in La Union, Sunday night.
Radio reports said Mae Joy Gacayan, 7; and her two younger sisters, Sheena, 5; and Meynard Carl, 3; died during the blaze inside their house in Brgy. Polipol, San Gabriel, La Union past 7pm.
The father of the victims, Mark Gayacan, told arson investigators that he was out of the house during the incident. His other son, John Mark, 10, managed to run out of the house to get help, reports added. The children’s mother was also out of the house checking on their crops during the blaze, reports said.
Arson investigators suspected that an unattended lit lamp was the cause of the fire as there had been no electricity in the area for seven years now.
Rebel held over kidnapping
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government security forces captured a suspected member of the rogue group Abu Sayyaf believed to be involved in the kidnapping of a priest in southern Philippines 10 years ago, a military official said yesterday.
The suspect, who was identified as Imam Bakal alias Adji Abubakar Bakkang, was captured off the waters of Maluso town in Basilan province at 9pm on Sunday following a pursuit operation.
The Philippine military said Bakal has a standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping with serious illegal detention. He is also believed to be involved in an ambush incident in 2007 which left 14 Marines dead.
The warrant of arrest stemmed from the abduction of Fr Cerilo Nacorda in June 2004 in Isabela City, Basilan province.
Agencies
