Woman kidnapped in Sibugay freed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  — A woman taken by unidentified gunmen in a coastal town in Zamboanga Sibugay has been freed in Zamboanga del Sur,  police confirmed yesterday.

Laarni Buen, 38, a native of Bicol and secretary of Celebes Marine Product, was released by his captors last May 31,  Chief Inspector Helen Galvez,  Zamboanga peninsula police spokesperson, said.

At least seven men barged in Buen’s dormitory in Malangas town and forced her into a boat that fled toward Muyong island.

Galvez said the sister of the victim, Ana, notified the police on her release at about 7:55 a.m.

Buen reportedly boarded a flight to Manila from Pagadian, and went to the house of her sister in Manila before she and her husband went to Sorsogon City.  

Her other sister Eunice sent a photo to the police here to prove that the victim is staying with them.

Police could not say if ransom was paid in exchange for Buen’s release as well as the motive for the kidnapping. 

Galvez said the Zamboanga Sibugay police asked the relatives of the victim to allow Buen to undergo debriefing.

No kidnapping

Meanwhile, newly installed Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega commended government troopers for zero kidnapping in the southern backdoor for more than a year now. 

Brig. Gen. Custodio Parcon of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi reported during a meeting with Dela Vega on Wednesday that troops were deployed on islets at the border of Tawi-Tawi, where hijacking of foreign vessels and kidnapping of their crewmembers ussually occur. 

Dela Vega said there has been no reported kidnapping in Tawi-Tawi since February last year. 

He said joint patrols by Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine navies in line with a trilateral agreement also prevented pirates with links to the Abu Sayyaf.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding Dutch man, a Vietnamese, three Indonesians and four Filipinos in Sulu.