Sayyaf kidnaps 2 teachers in Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Suspected Abu Sayyaf members kidnapped two public school teachers in Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay on Thursday, police said yesterday.

Reynadit Silvano, 34, and Russel Bagonoc, 22, both residents of Barangay Moalboal, were on their way to Tuburan Elementary School when motorcycle riding-men seized them along the road in Barangay Moalboal at 7:30 a.m., Inspector Dahlan Samuddin, public affairs chief of Police Regional Office 9, said.

Initial reports said the suspects forced the teachers to board a speedboat that sped off toward an unknown direction.

Police recovered the motorcycles of the victims and suspects some 100 meters from the shoreline.

Samuddin said witnesses identified at least three of the suspects as brothers Naim, Mansul and Amadan Sabdani.

 A sister of the suspect identified as Kapdul Hadjiula, whom police invited for questioning, admitted that her brothers and three Abu Sayyaf bandits took the teachers.

One of the Abu Sayyaf bandits was identified as Edimar Isnain.

Zamboanga Sibugay police have alerted their counterparts in Basilan and Sulu about the kidnapping.