Kidnap gang leader arrested in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A leader of a kidnapping syndicate and his follower tagged in the abduction of a town mayor were captured during raid pre-dawn Friday in a coastal village in Naga town, Zamboanga Sibugay province, a security official said.

The captured suspects were identified as Reme Sabtal with aliases “Mr. Suave” and “Commander Agila” and Ronnie Sabtal, according to Zamboanga Sibugay provincial police director Senior Superintendent Celso Bael.

Bael said combined police and military operatives also recovered three high-powered firearms, including one M16, a Garand rifle and a KG9 sub-machine gun pistol. Other items seized include magazine clips with rounds of ammunition, fragmentation grenade, five rifle grenades, assorted military uniforms and illegal drug paraphernalia.

Police Superintendent William Gadayan, chief of Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) said they stormed the hideout of the suspects about 3:45 a.m. at Purok 7, Sitio Looc, Barangay Kaliantana.

Gayadan said his team was backed up by the forces from the 44th Infantry Battalion, 17th Special Forces Company (SFC) and its intelligence units to arrest or neutralize the criminal group led by Sabtal.

Sabtal, who has a standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping with serious illegal detention, was tagged in the abduction of Naga town mayor Gemma Adana.

Adana was abducted by gunmen last April 6 from her house and turned over to the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu.

The captured kidnapping syndicate leader was brought to the Naga Police Station for further tactical interrogation.

The police said they were also investigating the possible involvement of Sabtal’s group in the abduction of Australian national Warren Richard Rodwell last December 2011 in Ipil town. He was released after more than a year after payment of ransom.