Gunmen kidnap Fil-Canadian baby, nanny in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - Unidentified gunmen abducted a one-year-old Filipino-Canadian and his babysitter on Thursday morning in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Superintendent Julius Muñez, Pagadian City police chief, confirmed the latest abduction incident in the city, but declined to provide details.

Muñez said that operations to rescue the victims are ongoing as of this posting.

The Filipino-Canadian baby was identified as Timothy Sokolob and his babysitter Caroline Remetre.

The victims were strolling around the Rosario Homes Subdivision in Dao district at around 9 a.m., when they were blocked and snatched by gunmen on board a blue car.

Police said that gunmen could have been the same group that burglarized the victim’s house last January 24.

Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, Police Regional Office 9 (PRO) director, was optimistic that the police will be able to immediately recover the victims.

He said police forces in the region and nearby provinces have been alerted to intercept the victims.

Vaño cited the December 9 abduction case of six-year-old Dennis Lean Solon, who was abducted in Barangay San Jose and rescued in the nearby town of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, hours later by the alerted police units.