7-year-old kidnap victim rescued

MANILA, Philippines - A seven-year-old kidnap victim was abandoned by his captors in Pikit town, North Cotabato Monday after nine hours of captivity.

Reports reaching the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division said the girl, a grade one student, was on her way to the Pikit Central Elementary School Monday morning, when she was grabbed by one of two masked men riding in tandem on a motorcycle.

The kidnappers reportedly seized the girl from his mother, a public school teacher and left a note warning the victim’s relatives not to inform the authorities about the incident or they will kill the child.

“A barangay kagawad of Barangay Poblacion of Pikit saw the incident and pursued the kidnappers but lost them at Barangay Balong, also of Pikit,” the 6th ID said in a statement.

The village officials relayed the abduction to security forces, prompting them to plan a rescue operation.

Pikit Mayor Sumulong Sultan formed a crisis committee composed of local officials to ensure the safety of the kidnap victim and even sought the assistance of Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders. Members of the 602nd Infantry Brigade also provided K-9 dogs to track down the kidnappers. 

Lt. Col. Benjamin Hao, commanding officer of the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion, said the kidnappers left their captive alone in a hut in the middle of a corn farm and fled to different directions after sensing that policemen and soldiers have surrounded their lair in Barangay Balong.

“There was no ransom paid…It was purely a coordinated effort of all stakeholders of Pikit,” provincial board member Dulia Sultan, chief of the negotiating team said.

Meanwhile, authorities are still validating reports that two children were kidnapped in a school in Cotabato City.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Badjan said a grade one student claimed he saw two children being forced to enter a van at about 7:30 a.m. The two were said to be students of Lugay-Lugay Elementary School.

Badjan said the witness could no longer provide additional details.

“We are confirming this (report). We are still trying to account for them. We will know if there are parents who would say that their children did not go home,” he said.