Kidnappers’ text messages led to the rescue of young victim

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Text messages between a group of kidnappers and the family of a kidnap victim led to the arrest of the kidnappers, the military revealed yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the continued exchanges of text messages between the parents of kidnap victim Apple Tabuada Deen, 13, and David Ampatuan, the suspected leader of a kidnap gang, hastened the efforts of 6th ID’s anti-kidnapping Task Force Tugis, led by Brig. Gen. Trifonio Salazar, in tracking down the kidnappers’ whereabouts.

Deen’s father, Tony Deen, said from Jan. 9 when Apple was kidnapped until her rescue last Friday, Ampatuan asked for two cellphone cards every day, which Ampatuan used in negotiating for ransom through text messages.

Deen’s father said the kidnappers asked for a P3 million ransom, which he rejected because he did not have such an amount.

Salazar said the text messages from Ampatuan’s group provided the 6th ID vital information on the geographical description of the kidnappers’ hideout at the San Pablo subdivision here.

Two of the kidnappers were first intercepted by combined elements of PACER here, the Army’s 12th intelligence service unit, the Philippine Marine Corps, the 6th ID, and the city police office manning an anti-kidnapping roadside checkpoint.

The two voluntarily led Salazar and his men to their lair, where they held Deen captive. Ampatuan’s followers escaped, leaving him behind as soldiers began surrounding their hideout.

Ampatuan turned himself in after a brief shoot-out with the raiding team.

Two other suspects arrested by Army agents in a follow-up operation were later released for lack of evidence. The two, Janiya and Bai Manaut, both surnamed Usman, were turned over yesterday by the 6th ID to officials of Barangay Tamontaka here, where they reside.

"I’m very proud of how the PACER, the 6th ID, the police in North Cotabato, in Cagayan de Oro City, the National Bureau of Investigation, the ISU-12 and (North Cotabato) Gov. Emmanuel Pinol helped in rescuing my daughter," Tony Deen said.

Ampatuan found it easy to abduct Apple because they were neighbors and even ate in the same table in many occasions.

Deen, a first year high school student, was on his way to school on Jan. 8 from their house in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, when Ampatuan offered her a ride.

The unsuspecting Deen casually boarded Ampatuan’s light blue Mazda car, which he used in spiriting her away.

Senga said he is certain that Ampatuan and his cohorts either belong to the Pentagon kidnap gang or are operating separately but under the syndicate’s protection.