Criminal group abducts radioman to ‘lecture&#

ILIGAN CITY — The Caraga regional police confirmed yesterday that a missing radioman from Butuan City was indeed abducted by a criminal syndicate who wanted to "lecture" him because of his hard-hitting commentaries against illegal activities.

Police said they got a letter from the syndicate stating that they seized broadcaster Noli Ebarle, alias Noel Esin, in Gingoog City last Saturday and brought him to a hinterland area in Misamis Oriental.

The syndicate said it wanted to "lecture" Ebarle of dxBC Butuan because of his exposés and attacks against them.

Ebarle’s colleagues at dxBC did not reveal if Ebarle’s abductors have made any demands, including ransom, in exchange for his release.

Ebarle, 32, is known for his crusades against illegal drugs, violent rebel groups, human smuggling, illegal logging and police corruption.

Ramil Emborong, manager of dxBC’s sister station dxIC here, said Ebarle, who hosted the morning program "Kus-kos Batikos," has also criticized policemen who moonlight as bodyguards of local businessmen without the permission of their superiors.

The Associated Press quoted Senior Superintendent Art Invanto, intelligence chief of the regional police as saying, "The purpose of the abductors could either be to threaten Ebarle or silence him."

Ebarle earlier aired a series of exposés about a criminal syndicate operating in the Caraga region which, he claimed, involved wealthy Chinese-Filipino traders, policemen, military men, government officials and even mediamen.

Ebarle claimed the syndicate had connections with the so-called "Bamboo Gang" in Hong Kong and was engaged in drug trafficking, illegal logging, and smuggling of humans and imported goods, including counterfeit electronic gadgets.

He also aired suspicions that the gang had an "unholy alliance" with the Kuratong Baleleng group based in Ozamiz City, some 200 kilometers southeast of Butuan.

Ebarle, who usually travels by bus, has been receiving death threats from several people or groups, colleague Arnel Lozada said.

His employers received cell phone text messages claiming that an unknown group abducted the broadcaster.

The Task Force Racer, an anti-crime quick reaction team formed by Caraga police director Alberto Rama Olario, has launched an operation along the Butuan-Gingoog highway where Ebarle was abducted.

The Misamis Oriental police have also formed a task force to look into the radioman’s disappearance. — With Ben Serrano