P200,000 ransom paid for Zambo Sibugay SK leader

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) president of a Zamboanga Sibugay town was finally released last Sunday after almost a month in captivity when her family paid P200,000 in ransom, authorities said.

The kidnap victim, 17-year-old Irish Sarmiento, SK president of Payao town, was freed unharmed at about 9:30 a.m. last Sunday, shortly after her father paid the ransom at the Basilan port area, according to belated reports reaching Camp Crame.

Sarmiento, together with her boyfriend, also an SK officer, was abducted by a group of armed men last June 20 in Payao town. Her boyfriend was subsequently released.

The police said Sarmiento’s kidnappers initially demanded P15 million in exchange for her freedom, but later lowered the amount to P200,000.

The police said the kidnapping case will be further investigated to unmask and prosecute the perpetrators.