Basilan kidnap suspect arrested

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – The military yesterday confirmed it had arrested a suspect in the kidnapping of an engineer involved in a road project in Basilan.

“The suspect was involved in the kidnapping of engineer (Virgilio Fernandez) and Rose Baranda,” said Col. Alex Ma­cario, commander of Special Operations Task Force-Basilan.

Fernandez was seized last June 3 after coming from the construction site along the Lamitan-Mohamad Adjul. He escaped from his captors last June 19 after failing several attempts.

Baranda, on the other hand, was snatched on Nov. 2 last year and was released on Christmas Day by a kidnapping gang with links to the Abu Sayyaf.

Macario withheld the identity of the arrested suspect pending tactical interrogation.