ZAMBOANGA CITY—The newly freed 3-year-old boy was reunited with his family early Monday at a military headquarters in this city.
The boy, Ace Jay Garban, was brought to this city by troops of the Jolo Internal Defense Force headed by Col. Bernardino Sun.
They arrived here early Monday aboard a commercial ferry from Jolo, Sulu, and proceeded to Camp Gen. Arturo Enrile in Barangay Malagutay, which houses the Joint Task Force Zambasulta headquarters.
The boy was received by his father, who traveled all the way from Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur.
The name of the father, who is a barangay official, was withheld for security reasons.
Fatima Caminan, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development regional office’s Protective Services Unit, said the boy has to undergo psychosocial intervention as he has been traumatized.
Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander, said Garban had undergone medical checkup at Camp Bautista Trauma Hospital in Jolo before he was brought to this city.
“He [Garban] was cleared from any physical injuries. However, he was observed to have been traumatized in his captivity,” Arrojado said.
Garban was recovered by a concerned citizen around 2:42 p.m. on Sunday after he was spotted “without a companion” in Barangay Buanza, Indanan, Sulu.
“Immediately, the concerned citizen approached the child and, at the same time, informed the military unit of the KV’s [kidnap victim’s] presence in the area,” said Arrojado, who is also the Army’s 501st Infantry Brigade commander.
He said Garban was taken to barangay Tulay, Jolo, and was turned over to Sun, who is also the deputy commander of the Army’s 501st Infantry Brigade.
Garban was seized by 10 Abu Sayyaf gunmen together with his 2-year-old brother, Zynielle Jay, and bakery worker Ledegie Tomarong, 17, on March 31, 2015 in barangay Poblacion, Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur.
The gunmen killed Zynielle Jay, whose body was plucked from the seawaters off Zamboanga del Sur on April 3, 2015 while Tomarong was released on July 20, 2015 in barangay Kagay, Indanan, Sulu.