TICTABON ISLAND, Philippines – A mother and son, both US citizens, and a Filipino male relative were seized by heavily armed men early yesterday while on a brief vacation in this island village off the coast of Zamboanga City, authorities said.
Chief Inspector Nonito Asdai, Sacol Island police station commander, identified the victims through their US passports as Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, 42, and her 14-year-old son Kevin Eric, who both reside in Virginia state; and their Filipino relative, Romnick Jakaria, 19, who hails from Malamawi Island, Basilan.
Lunsmann, who hails from nearby Pangapuyan Island, left the country when she was nine years old after an American couple adopted her. She is reportedly married to a German national, who was not known to be in the country.
The kidnapping came even as the US State Department renewed its travel advisory last month, cautioning American citizens from traveling to parts of Mindanao due to terror threats.
Asdai said the victims were asleep on a house on stilts when at least 14 armed men seized and dragged them to waiting pumpboats.
Tictabon village chairman Atang Mohammad Nur said a resident alerted them about the kidnapping.
“We tried to give chase but they were already in the bordering waters of Basilan,” Nur said.
Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of Western Mindanao Command, said the Special Operation Task Force-Basilan has been alerted to track down the kidnappers who were headed toward Basilan, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. yesterday ordered field units to tap all possible means to ensure the safety of the kidnap victims.
“The chief of staff has ordered troops to exhaust all efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice,” AFP spokesman Commodore Miguel Rodriguez said in an interview.
Rodriguez said two teams of the Navy’s elite special operations group have been deployed to pursue the kidnappers.
He said military forces in Western Mindanao are now coordinating with the police and the local crisis management committee to address the situation.
Jakaria’s sister Alma said the Lunsmanns were supposed to leave Tictabon yesterday on their way back to the United States.
“They (the kidnappers) woke us up and directed us to drop and face the ground. I was so scared so I was not able to see their faces,” she said.
The acting US embassy spokesman, Alan Holst, was unavailable for comment, a member of his staff told AFP. – With Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude