Release my husband, pleads wife of kidnapped trader

"Anthony is a good man, a loving husband and a wonderful father. Keeping him this long has hurt the family a great deal."

With these words, Kristine Lehmann appealed yesterday to the kidnappers of her husband, Anthony, a Filipino-American businessman, to release him.

Fifteen armed men seized Anthony from the family’s Westmont resort in Barangay Fatima in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro last Dec. 29.

Kristine told a press conference at the Holiday Inn Manila that they had paid P1-million ransom but the kidnappers have not still freed her husband.

"We miss him so much," she said. "I’m calling on the government, including the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), the PNP (Philippine National Police) and other agencies to bring my husband back to us."

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Sato joined the press conference to lend moral support to Kristine and their three daughters aged 9, 13 and 15.

Kristine said her family wanted to draw attention to their plight. "It is our hope that through (its) efforts, the government could focus more funding and manpower to deter kidnapping in the country," she said.

She recalled that Anthony’s abductors wore boots and fatigue uniforms and identified themselves as New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas.

She said the abductors fired their automatic rifles before fleeing with her husband aboard the family vehicle.

The next day, Kristine said the abductors contacted them and demanded P10 million as ransom. When they asked for proof that Anthony was still alive, she said the kidnappers threatened to kill her husband or cut off one of his arms.

Kristine said they bargained with the abductors, who later agreed to lower the amount to P1 million which was paid on Jan. 6.

After the payoff, she said the kidnappers contacted them twice, the last being on Jan. 30. Since then, there has been word from them, she added.

Aside from ransom, Kristine said she could not think of any reason why her husband was abducted.

She said her husband’s family has been involved in Barangay Fatima since Anthony was two years old.

"Through the years, he (Anthony) has brought members of his church (Lighthouse Christian Community) to hold medical and dental missions for the residents of the (village)," she said.

She said Anthony even invited outsiders to see the beauty of Mindoro island and successfully encouraged his many friends to invest there.

During her visit to Mindoro last March 29, the third month of Anthony’s abduction, President Arroyo assured Kristine that her administration was ready to extend support to bring him home safely.

Kristine said anyone who has information that could lead to her husband’s release can contact her at 0919-6799967.