ILOILO CITY , Philippines – Police suspect that the kidnapping of a municipal employee in Dumarao, Capiz is linked to a shooting incident last Dec. 30 where one of his relatives was a suspect.
The victim, Paquito Habulin, and his wife were on their way to the town market at around 3 a.m. last Friday when four armed men snatched him and left his wife unharmed.
There has been no word about Habulin since then. Police suspect that his kidnappers belong to a gun-for-hire group operating in central Panay.
Senior Inspector Roel Baccat, Dumarao police chief, said the shooting incident blamed on Habulin’s relative could have something to do with the kidnapping.
“Maybe the (victim’s) family hired a group to retaliate for their kin’s death. Habulin could also be used as leverage to locate the suspect,†Buccat said.