Town hall employee abducted in Capiz

CEBU, Philippines - A municipal hall employee of Dumarao, Capiz was confirmed abducted early morning of Friday shortly after he went out of their house in Brgy. Salcedo of this town.

Two days after the incident, the family of Paquito Habulin was still waiting for his safe release, but Sr. Insp. Roel Buccat, chief of Dumarao Police, said the police have yet to locate the area where Habulin’s abductors have been keeping him.

The victim was kidnapped by four armed men, believed to be a gun-for-hire group operating in central Panay, around 3:00 a.m. while Habulin and his wife were on their way to the town market. The victim peacefully went with the group while his wife was left behind, physically unscathed.

Buccat believed the abduction was related to a shooting incident in Dumarao last December 30, in which Habulin’s relative was a suspect. No case was filed against the gunman.

“The suspect also fled and has been in hiding since then. Maybe, the family hired a group to retaliate for their kin’s death. Habulin could also be used as a leverage to locate the suspect,” Buccat theorized.

It is also possible that Habulin would be squeezed with information on his wanted kin’s whereabouts, he said, adding that, for now, they are working on the safe release of the victim.  (FREEMAN)