Puno vows to rescue 6 kidnapped teachers

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno vowed to rescue the six public school teachers abducted by unidentified gunmen in two separate incidents in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan.

Puno met with top local officials of Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan during an emergency meeting organized by Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat to resolve the spate of kidnappings in the region.

“We have to work together, it is not enough to recover the hostages and to run after the kidnappers,” Puno said.

Puno told officials of the local government units, the police and the military here to improve the security situation to prevent future kidnappings.

He lauded the local government officials for increasing the coordination of the cities and provinces in order to address the kidnappings.

Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar said the local officials have supported the military and police in the crackdown against the kidnap for ransom gangs.

“I was surprised that poor people who are helping are now the victims of these kidnappers. The teachers, most of their money is already (allotted) for debt payments, what do these kidnappers want from these helpless people,” Gov. George Hoffer of Zamboanga Sibugay said.

Puno urged the local leaders not to be discouraged and instead exhaust all efforts to recover the hostages and arrest the kidnappers.

DepEd appeals  to kidnappers

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus appealed yesterday to the kidnappers of the public school teachers abducted in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan not to harm their hostages and release them without any condition or ransom payment.

“They (teachers) don’t deserve such treatment and they don’t earn much for them to be kidnapped,” Lapus told Radio Mindanao Network here.

He made the appeal for the freedom of Noemi Navales Mandi, 38, Jocelyn Inion, 39, and Jocelyn Enriquez, 43, all teachers of Bangkaw-Bangkaw Elementary School who were on a motorized boat when still unidentified gunmen on board another speedboat seized them.

“What you did to the teachers will definitely not gain support for whatever cause you are fighting for. The Muslim world rejects such acts,” Lapus said.

Aside from the three teachers in Zamboanga Sibugay, kidnappers in Basilan also abducted three other public school teachers identified as Janette delos Reyes, Rafael Mayonado, and Freires Quizon.

Unidentified armed men also kidnapped Sri Lankan peace volunteer Umar Jaleel.

The rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it would assist the government in search and rescue operations for the teachers.      – With Cecile Suerte Felipe