Kidnap of Kudarat farm owner foiled

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguin­danao, Philippines – Authorities foiled an attempt by Moro bandits to kidnap a corn plantation owner in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat the other day.

Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, Central Minda-nao police director, said five gunmen attempted to grab businesswoman Rose Manganaan, 33, in the town proper of Esperanza and force her into a waiting Nissan Sentra with license plate TBC 487.

Manganaan, however, resisted and shouted for help, causing a commotion that caught the attention of policemen, civilian volunteers and soldiers manning checkpoints in the commercial district of Esperanza, a booming agricultural town.

The kidnappers escaped on their getaway car and fired shots at the pursuing policemen.

Soldiers and policemen who gave chase returned fire, but failed to stop the escape of the kidnappers, whose vehicle was later found abandoned in Barangay Malipayon, also in Esperanza, its seats heavily stained with blood.

Khu said some of the kidnappers could have been wounded when pursuing policemen and soldiers fired at their vehicle.

Meanwhile, one of the suspected kidnappers of a Marawi City businessman was killed in a firefight with police in Pualas, Lanao del Sur yesterday, authorities said.

Superintendent Cosanie Derogongan, Lanao del Sur police director, said a police team was checking the whereabouts of kidnap victim Abdulcarim Magarang in Pualas town when it spotted wanted criminal Khalid Pansar, who was armed with an Armalite rifle.

Magarang engaged the policemen in a one-hour firefight, which left him dead.

Derogongan said police were still continuing their search for Magarang who was seized last week. The kidnappers have asked for a P2-million ransom. – With Lino de la Cruz