Trader kidnapped in Lanao Norte still alive - official

LINAMON, Lanao del Norte — A trader abducted Wednesday last week by members of a kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) group is still alive and remains in the hands of his captors, a military official said on Tuesday. "Buhay pa ang biktima na si [Alexander Lim] and is still in the hands of his abductors," said Col. Daniel Lucero, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade based in Kampo Ranao in Marawi City. Lucero made the announcement at a Peace and Order Council meeting last Tuesday held at the provincial capitol. Lucero said Lim was brought to the hinterlands of the province. He refused to elaborate. In last Wednesday's kidnapping incident, five armed men wearing police and Land Transportation Office uniforms blocked a Toyota Fortuner (ZBU 135) and seized Lim and two others in Linamon's Samburon village around 9:30 a.m. Linamon Police Inspector Ruel. Ortiz identified the two other victims as Edgar Gomez (driver) and Engr. Henry Alumbro. Ortiz quoted a witness saying that armed men, who were on a black Tamaraw FX, seized the victims, who were later known to have been brought Marawi City in Lanao del Sur. Also during the peace and order meeting, Lucero said that in the course of rescue operations for Lim, operatives discovered several illegal activities in Marawi City. Such activities include kidnap-for-ransom, smuggling, and drug trafficking involving prominent personalities and politicians in the province. As for Lim's case, Lucero said "We do not negotiate with the abductors... The bad thing is that most of the civilians do not cooperate because of fear... The good thing is there were tipsters who gave leads through text messages, and these information gave good results as we get closer to the target." Lucero lauded the concern of Maranaw children who work for the resolution of the crisis. He did not elaborate on the ransom demand from the abductors. In the same peace and order meeting, Governor Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte urged the military and the police to secure the national highway in Samburon up to the the newly completed diversion road of Metro Iligan Regional Infrastructure Development Project. Gov. Dimaporo also directed the Philippine National Police and military to verify and make sure that Lim is not being kept by his captors in the Lanao del Norte. — LBG/RSJ, GMA News