ABU Sayyaf bandits kidnapped on Thursday two public-school teachers who were on their way to work in Zamboanga Sibugay, police said.
Insp. Dahlan Samuddin, acting information officer of the Western Mindanao police command, identified the victims as Reynadit Bagonoc Silvano, 34, and Russel Bagonoc, 22, both of Barangay Moalboal, Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay.
The victims were both teachers at Barangay Tuburan Elementary School, Tuburan, Talusan. Samuddin said the two victims were snatched at around 3 p.m. on Thursday while they were on their way to the Tuburan school aboard a blue Honda XRM motorcycle.
He identified the suspects as brothers Naim Sabdani, Mansul Sabdani and Amadan Sabdani, all of barangay Moalboal, and three Abu Sayyaf bandits, one of them identified as Edimar Isnain. Samuddin said the suspects blocked the path of the victims’ motorcycle, dragged the two teachers and fled toward a still undetermined direction aboard a motorized pump boat.
“Responding elements of Talusan Municipal Police Station, upon arrival at the area recovered the motorcycle of the victims, which was left near Moalboal Elementary School, more or less 100 meters from the coastal area,” he said.
“The suspects’ motorcycles were also recovered near the basketball court of the barangay hall, more or less 200 meters from the place where the victim’s motorcycle was recovered,” Samuddin added.
He said that during the investigation, it was established that the area, where the Sabdanis left their motorcycle was adjacent to the house of their sister identified as Kapdul Hadjiula, who was invited by policemen for questioning.
The woman confessed that it was her three brothers and the three others from Sulu who abducted the victims.
She also reportedly admitted that the three companions of her three brothers were members of the Abu Sayyaf operating in Sulu and Basilan.
Another witness identified as Pedrico Lumingcos, who lived near the area where the kidnapping occurred, saw the incident and confirmed the identities of the suspects.
Rene Acosta