Indian trader kidnapped

COTABATO CITY – An Indian trader here has reportedly been snatched yesterday, breaking almost a six-year lull in kidnappings in Central Mindanao.

Senior Superintendent Suharto Tucao, director of the Sultan Kudarat provincial police, said they learned of the abduction only after Edilderto Puna, driver of an Indian national known here only with his initials “CK” Kader, who is operating a roadside store selling mobile phones and accessories, reported the incident to the Isulan municipal police.

Key Army and police intelligence sources said Kader, who is married to a Filipina here, was snatched in Cotabato City, along with Puna, the other night and was taken by his abductors to Isulan, some 110 kms. away.

Radio stations here have criticized the city police and the Army’s anti-crime Task Force Tugis for seemingly keeping the incident under wraps, even as text messages purporting the veracity of the incident have been circulating since Friday night.

Tucao said they have recovered from Puna the white Toyota Fortuner of Kader.

“All I can say, for now is that Mr. Puna has reported to us that his employer has been kidnapped and that he has with him the foreigner’s vehicle. Please bear with us. We shall provide the media more information after we are done with our ongoing operation on that incident,” Tucao told reporters.