Police create task force for adbucted couple

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -  Police authorities have created Task Force Nancy that would focus on the resolution of the case of a couple who were abducted past midnight Sunday in a coastal village of this city.

The victims – live-in partners Nancy Lucero-Gunato, 38, and Ronnie San Dagon, 50, married, and proprietors of Ocean World Marine products engaged in buy and sell of marine products, have yet to contact their respective families, according to city police director Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo.

The victims were taken at gunpoint by five gunmen who pretended to be customers of couple's shop at the private wharf in Barangay Baliwasan seaside about 12:05 a.m Sunday and escaped on board a motorized banca.

Tracking police forces have located the motorized banca in an area in Zamboanga Sibugay province but yielded no information of victims.

De Ocampo said they were coordinating with the family of San Dagon, an incumbent town councilor of Naga Municipality, to find out if the gunmen have already established contact.

“So far there has been no communication from the victims and their abductors,” De Ocampo said.

He added that they have activated Task Force Nancy to focuis on the case of the victims.

De Ocampo said they suspect that the motive for abduction could be business rivalry. Witnesses are helping authorities identify the suspects.