Suspect in kidnapping of 2 Zambo school execs nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines   â€“ One of the armed men who snatched two public school officials in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur last Monday night has been arrested by security forces, authorities said.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, spokesman of the Region 9 police, said the suspect, identified as Ryan Tumales, 22, a resident of Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte, was spotted by a village official suspiciously walking away from the escape route of the kidnappers of Rudy and Tessie Luna shortly before midnight on Tuesday.

The Lunas are supervisors of the Bayog and Kumalarang school districts in Zamboanga del Norte.

Mrs. Luna, who managed to escape while she and her husband were being transferred to a pumpboat, positively identified Tumales as one of the eight men who barged into their house and seized them. 

Police are readying charges against Tumales while efforts to rescue the remaining captive continues.

There is still no word if the kidnappers have established contact with the Luna family.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has urged authorities to work on the safe recovery of elementary school teacher Cathy Casipong who was kidnapped by an Abu Sayyaf-linked group six weeks ago.