Five in Korean’s kidnap wounded

COTABATO CITY — Five suspected kidnappers of a South Korean treasure hunter and a Filipino hotel owner were wounded yesterday in a shootout with pursuing Army troops in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat.

Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the brief firefight was the first between government forces and the kidnap gang since Yoon Jae-keun and Carlos Belonio were snatched in Malisbong district last Wednesday.

The gangmen fled after the soldiers outmaneuvered them, he said.

Barangay officials said they saw the gunmen carrying five wounded comrades as they fled into the jungle where Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas are believed to be deployed.

On the other hand, Palembang Mayor Hadji Samrod said yesterday the kidnappers had demanded in a letter to him sent through a courier that the military halt pursuit operations to pave the way for negotiations.

"The letter is in Arabic and is urging a stop in military operations so negotiations can start," he said.

Samrod said the letter was signed by a certain "Commander Tropical" who claimed to belong to a group called Abu Sufia, a shadowy gang which is unknown to military and police officials.

The letter did not mention any ransom demand, he added.

But a military spokesman said he was not aware of any demand by the kidnappers for the suspension of pursuit operations.

Quoting South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Reuters said the kidnappers were demanding about $2 million for the release of Yoon and Belonio

Kyamko said the gunmen could have lurked in ambush in Barangay Kulong-Kulong, not far from a river, to stop the advancing troops from reaching a spot where Yoon and Belonio are believed to have been snatched.

"It was fortunate that the civilians there were vigilant and informed authorities right away of the presence of the armed men," he said.

Troops were verifying reports that armed men had been seen in the area when the suspected kidnappers fired at them, triggering the shootout, he added.

Palembang town officials have tagged MILF commanders Salem Gogo and Tigre Jakiri to be behind the kidnapping of the two businessmen.

Yoon and Belonio were snatched by about 10 gunmen in Malisbong while surveying sites where Japanese troops are believed to have buried treasures at the end of World War II in 1945.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza said yesterday he has named Deputy Director General Edgar Galvante, PNP deputy chief for operations, "overall in-charge" of anti-kidnapping operations against the Pentagon gang in Central and Western Mindanao.

"We are organizing our forces now that the delineation of responsibilities has been defined, with the military in charge of the Abu Sayyaf and the PNP in charge of the Pentagon," he said.

Mendoza said police forces in Mindanao must be strengthened so the 190-member and heavily armed Pentagon gang could be "neutralized" in accordance with President Arroyo’s instructions.

"We are reorganizing (police forces in Mindanao)," he said. "And we are strengthening it. As a matter of fact, we will be fielding more members of the Special Action Force in Central Mindanao."

Led by Tahir Alonto, the Pentagon Gang is a loose alliance of former and active MILF members.

Last Thursday, Mrs. Arroyo announced the extension of Mendoza’s tour of duty to year’s end as she ordered him to "neutralize" the Pentagon kidnap gang. — John Unson, Christina Mendez