3 ship officials kidnapped in Zamboanga del Norte

MANILA, Philippines - Nine armed men kidnapped three officials of a barge Saturday night as it was taking shelter in Siocon Bay, Zamboanga del Norte, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.

PCG spokesman Lieutenant Commander Arman Balilo identified the three victims as Captain Felipe Miranda, Chief Mate Cecelio Layasan, and Chief Engineer Radsie Magtanong.

Initial information reaching the PCG headquarters showed that around 9 p.m. on Saturday, the motorized tugboat Marinero was towing the barge SALVMAR-II to a shelter near Siocon Bay to escape the bad weather. They had just left the Port of Makar wharf in General Santos and were on their way to Iligan City.

It was at this juncture when the three pump boats carrying the nine suspects boarded the M/T Marinero. They took the ship’s communication equipment, such as the global positioning system, radio equipment, cellular phones and provisions estimated to be worth P50,000.

“Apart from the three officials, there were 11 other crew members on board but the suspects only took Miranda, Layasan and Magtanong. It was one of the released crew members who informed their company of what transpired,” Balilo said.

It was Arnulfo Braulio, supervisor of Cebu Barge and TUG Corp., who called the PCG.

The crewmembers reported that even after the suspects fled with their captives, they noticed that there were other pump boats moving toward their direction. They were afraid that there could be other armed robbery and kidnapping groups, so they decided to move, the PCG said. 

“Up until noontime yesterday, the authorities are still looking for the kidnappers and their three victims. There has been no demand for ransom,” Balilo said.

The PCG has joined the search for the kidnappers and the three ship officials. Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo directed Commodores Rolando Dizon of Zamboanga and Rodolfo Isorena of Cebu to proactively monitor from the owner the whereabouts of the victims.

The PCG Action Center in Manila also issued a Notice to Mariners (Notam) to commercial vessels transiting the vicinity of Siocon Bay to take precautionary measures and to promptly report to authorities any suspicious movement of vessels.

They have also sought the assistance of the Naval Forces in Western Mindanao and Western Mindanao Command, who dispatched three vessels to help in the search.