3 wounded in ‘Pentagon’ ambush

COTABATO CITY — Three fish traders were seriously wounded when suspected members of the "Pentagon" kidnap-for-ransom gang, now engaged in extortion activities, sprayed their delivery van with caliber .50 machinegun bullets in Maguindanao’s Tala—yan town the other day.

Police said the victims — businessman Makis Abdulkarim, his wife Noraiza and their sales collector, Patuh Ismael — had just bought a ton of tuna in General Santos City and were on their way here when they were ambushed along the Isulan Cotabato Highway.

The victims, police said, have long been receiving extortion letters from the Pentagon, which they ignored.

Army intelligence sources said Pentagon members have been extorting money from local traders since last month after the 6th Infantry Division deployed its men near areas where they were holding out, restraining their kidnapping activities.

The 6th ID has arrested five key leaders of the Pentagon since October. — John Unson