MANILA, Philippines - Two days after Charlie Reith was kidnapped, authorities have yet to receive a ransom demand from any of the suspected groups that might have snatched the 72-year-old Swiss-Filipino businessman.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said the Crisis Management Committee of Zamboanga City that was tasked to ensure the safety of Reith has yet to establish contact with the kidnappers.
Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat, Crisis Management Committee chairman, also said they have yet to communicate with the kidnappers.
“There is no communication yet, no demand from the abductors and we do not know to whom we are going to give the things to be demanded. He has no family in Zamboanga,” Lobregat said.
Reith’s friends, on the other hand, made an urgent plea for the kidnappers to release the businessman whose health is fragile.
“He has been sickly. We are appealing to the kidnappers to take immediate care of him and then free Mr. Reith,” said Al Alhabshi, a close friend and business associate.
“He is suffering from pneumonia and is still recovering from a mild stroke two months ago… He needs his maintenance medicine,” Alhabshi added.
Verzosa said the PNP has created Task Force Charlie led by Senior Superintendent Francisco Cristobal to follow up the different leads on the possible whereabouts of Reith and his kidnappers.
“There are two possibilities, either north somewhere in Sibuco or possibly in Basilan,” Verzosa said, hinting that the Abu Sayyaf extremists might have carried out the kidnapping.
Lobregat suspected the kidnappers might have brought Reith to Basilan.
“There is a possibility that he will be taken to Basilan or he will be taken to Zamboanga del Norte or to the other side. We are exploring all possibilities,” he said.
Zamboanga City Rep. Erico Fabian said the police and military are still clueless on the group that might have kidnapped Reith.
“What we can do right now is really storm the heavens with prayers for the safe release of Charlie. I know Charlie is not in the best of health. He needs all the support,” Fabian said.
On the other hand, Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said troops had received information on the whereabouts of Reith but declined to disclose details.
“We have alerted the military units in the city and in nearby island provinces,” Dolorfino told reporters.
“We have also intensified intelligence information (gathering) to determine which group is holding the victim.”
Reith, a naturalized Filipino, was taken from his beachside house by speedboat on Sunday night. – With Roel Pareño, Alexis Romero