Troops recover abducted student in Zambo Sibugay

Kidnapped victim

ZAMBOANGA CITY, March 1 (PNA) -- Government authorities have safely recovered the engineering student seized by gunmen believed to be kidnappersin the province of Zamboanga del Sur, a police official announced Saturday.

The victim, Stephen Tan, was safely recovered around 5:15 p.m. Friday in Barangay Little Baguio, Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, by the police and Mayor Cris Jore of Diplahan, also of the same province.

Tan, 19, an engineering student of Southern Mindanao College, was seized by three suspected kidnappers around 9 p.m. Thursday along Cabrera Street, Barangay Gatas, Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur, while he was driving his Ford color metallic gray with registered plate number KGS-723.

Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca said Tan was safely recovered after he managed to escape from the clutches of his abductors.

Huesca said investigation showed Tan managed to escape from his abductors around 1:30 p.m. Friday after the latter took off the blindfold from his face.

Huesca said Tan was able to jump towards the river bank in Barangay Little Baguio, Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay and hid in shrubs while being chased by his abductors.

From there, Huesca said the victim sought assistance from a nearby house where he was able to borrow a cellular phone and immediately contacted his family who in turn coordinated with the authorities of Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay through Jore.

He said Jore's coordination with the police resulted to the safe recovery of the victim.

He said the victim was brought to the office of the Municipal Mayor of Diplahan for debriefing and was subsequently turned-over to anti-kidnapping group.

The combined police and military operatives have launched manhunt operation in a bid to arrest the suspects.(PNA)
CTB/TPGJR/pjn