Zambo Sur police file charges vs. kidnappers of 2 children, bakery worker

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?&sid=6&pfn=753149&arch=1&go=Go&search_arch=Pagadian%20City,%20Zamboanga%20del%20Sur&andor=and&mdte_arch=4&ddte_arch=0&ydte_arch=2015

Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur Fish Port

By Hirohito D. Cadion 

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, April 15 (PNA) -- The police have filed criminal charges against five people implicated in the March 31 kidnapping of two children and a bakery worker in the nearby town of Pitogo, this province.

Senior Supt. Sofronio Ecaldre, provincial police director, said the charges against the suspects were filed on Monday before the provincial prosecutor’s office.

Ecaldre named the respondents as the follows: Mahbad Hassan and Alkim Hassan, both of Barangay Poblacion, Pitogo; Jalid Malali; Usman Jelanie; and, Usman Hassan all of Barangay Kalintana, Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Ecaldre disclosed that two of the five suspects--Mahbad and Alkim--were arrested a day after 10 gunmen seized the victims but was not immediately announced as investigation is ongoing.

He said investigation showed the suspects have stayed at the residence of Mahbad and pretended to be fresh fish traders while monitoring the movement of their target to be kidnapped.

He disclosed that one of the five suspects--Usman--was captured in a video of the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera of CJ bakeshop of Chzarenia Kapa Sajulga, the kidnapping target.

The suspects seized Ace Jay Garban, three; Zynielle Jay Garban, two; and, Ledegie Tomarong, 17 after they failed to kidnap Sajulga, who locked herself inside a room when the kidnappers swooped down her bakery.

The Garban children are grandchildren of Pitogo Mayor Richard Garban.

The suspects grabbed the two children and Tomarong, who were at the fish port and escaped by using them as human shields during a shootout with pursuing policemen.

The suspects killed Zynielle Jay, whose body was fished out from sea by fishermen on April 3 near the shore of Pitogo town.

The kidnappers have demanded PhP60 million or at PhP30 each in exchange for the release of Garban and Tomarong.

Ecaldre said policemen in coordination with the military are continuously tracking down the whereabouts of the victims. (PNA)
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