New Zambo top cop orders intensified efforts vs kidnapping

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The newly installed regional police commander ordered an intensified police and military joint security coordination to thwart kidnapping incidents in Western Mindanao.

Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonio Jr., who was installed last week as Police Regional Office 9 director, said Tuesday there must be an effective information sharing among law enforcement units to combat the kidnapping syndicates in the region.

"We need to strengthen the joint security coordination," said Antonio, who was the former national chair of the national Joint Security Coordination Center.

He said he already discussed the effort with Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero in a recent meeting and linked up with the security forces under the Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Antonio was concerned of the multiple cases of kidnapping in Zamboanga peninsula where most of the victims were brought to Sulu and held hostage in exchange for ransom.

Antonio also wanted an intensified security in the neighboring island provinces to prevent kidnappers and their Abu Sayyaf cohorts from using the areas to keep their captives.

"We need to constrict the movements of the lawless elements and ensure that the shorelines of the island provinces will not be used as landing point of the kidnappers," Antonio said.

The police noted that the kidnappings seemed to be conducted by syndicates where one group stages the abduction and turns over their victims to the Abu Sayyaf and other armed groups in the island provinces.

At least give hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu were taken from the Zamboanga peninsula.

Among the captives were Naga Mayor Gemma Adana, Philippine Coast Guard personnel, Seaman 2nd Class Gringo Villaruz and Seaman 1st Class Rod Pagaling, Korean businessman Noui Hong Sung, and three-year-old Ace Jay Garban.

Antonio said that while security is being strengthened to avert the kidnapping incidents, efforts continued for the safe recovery of all the victims.