Trader's kidnappers ask for P10-million ransom

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  – Gunmen holding captive a Filipino-Chinese trader they snatched Saturday in North Upi, Maguindanao have reportedly asked for a P10 million ransom, but authorities remain pat in working out the victim’s safe release without any ransom.

Relatives of So Ken Chew Mantigue, are however, reluctant to talk to the police and the military about the demand of her abductors.

Mantigue was tending the pay counter of her grocery store at the town proper of North Upi disguised as customers, grabbed and forced her into a waiting getaway vehicle parked nearby and spirited her to Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Local leaders said there are text messages circulating since Tuesday purporting that the captors of Mantigue have asked for a P10 million ransom in exchange for her safe release.

“They must have thought their captive is so wealthy. She is not. She operates only a small grocery store owned by their family,” said a businessman who is close to the Chew and Mantigue families.

North Upi Mayor Ramon Piang, chairman of the municipal peace and order council, said he has tasked religious and traditional leaders to help locate the whereabouts of Mantigue.

Piang, an ethnic Teduray timuay (chieftain), has also asked the government’s ceasefire committee to coordinate and seek the assistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in securing the victim’s release.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division dispatched Tuesday 50 intelligence agents to help the police locate the whereabouts of Mantigue.

Brig. Gen. Rey Ardo, newly-installed commander of the 6th ID, also tasked all of their units in the first district of Maguindanao to enlist the help of local executives and religious leaders in identifying the captors of Mantigue, owner of the Sam’s grocery store at the town proper of North Upi.

Mantigue’s family, through lawyer Anwar Roland Chew, appealed to her captors to set her free.

“She is sick, has maintenance medicines for various ailments,” Anwar said in a phone interview with Catholic radio station dyMS in Cotabato City.

Kidnappers had previously tried to kidnap Mantigue also from inside her store in 2002, but balked after civilian volunteers and responding policemen fought and killed two of them.

The abduction of Mantigue came a week after officials launched the anti-kidnapping Task Force Cotabato following the abduction of four Chinese traders in Cotabato City by kidnappers led by Moro guerilla commanders.