Abu Sayyaf asks P5-M for cosmetic dealer's release

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The bandit Abu Sayyaf Group based in Basilan province has demanded P5-million ransom in exchange for the release of a young cosmetic dealer abducted two weeks ago in this city.

City police director Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro said that the investigators have identified one of the six abductors of Sabrina Ikbala-Voon, 28, last February 19 in Barangay Mercedes.

Casimiro said that the kidnappers contacted Voon's family a few days ago and demanded P5 million for the release of the victim.

The police official did not say if the kidnappers have set a deadline for the delivery of the ransom money.

Meanwhile, he said police investigators identified one of Voon's kidnappers through a fake driver's license recovered from the van used by the gunmen as their getaway vehicle.

The fake driver's license is named under a certain Rey Cuevas Santos, which is presumably also a fake identity.

Casimiro said that the investigators were able to establish that the picture used by the suspect in the fake license was authentic as he was positively identified by several witnesses as one of Voon's abductors.

Through rigorous cross-checking, the police investigators were able to identify the man as Abdulhassan Yusop Sanajalul alias Bulet of Barangay Lower Sinangkapan, Tuburan town, Basilan.

He said Sanajalul used the fake driver's license to rent the van.