Political warlord involved in pastor's abduction?

MANILA, Philippines – Police authorities in Misamis Occidental are eyeing the possible involvement of a political warlord in the abduction of an American pastor in Ozamiz City last Monday.

The politician, allegedly notorious for using his armed goons to raise funds, is reportedly running in next year’s elections.

“We don’t have any concrete proof yet but our own investigation is going toward that direction,” said a senior police official, referring to the group behind the abduction of Protestant Bishop Tommy Smith last Monday night in Ozamiz City.

Smith, bishop of the Sanctuary Church of the Philippines based in Ozamiz City, was seized by three armed men who barged into his residence in Purok 2, Barangay Banadero at about 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Policemen, who just had completed a US-supervised anti-terror training as part of the ongoing RP-US Balikatan military exercises, later rescued Smith in a car chase that ended some 200 meters away from a police-military roadblock along the Ozamiz-Dipolog highway before reaching Tudela town.

Smith, in his early 30s, was lying face down in his car, which his kidnappers used as get-away vehicle, with his hands behind his back when elements of the 1005th Police Provincial Mobile Group rescued him.

Superintendent Edgar Daniel, 1005th PPMG commander, however, begged off to confirm or deny information that the political warlord could be involved.

“We are still conducting an investigation into this case, but we have already identified some of the suspects,” Daniel said.