Govt vows aid in rescuing 3 kidnapped Koreans

The Philippine government has promised it will assist in the safe recovery of the three Korean nationals who were reportedly abducted in Lanao del Norte three weeks ago. "In a meeting with the Republic of Korea ambassador, we have given our government's assurance that all appropriate assistance will be given to ensure the safe recovery of the abducted Koreans," said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario. The Koreans identified as Seok Wu, Kim Kimnamdoo and a certain Mr. Choi were found to have been kidnapped by a still unidentified group. In an earlier report, Police Director Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations for Western Mindanao, said the kidnappers have already made contact using the cellular phones of the victims. An initial investigation revealed that the three were last spotted in Lala Maranding town in Lanao del Norte. Khu said the three left their hotel in Cagayan de Oro City last October 21 with three unidentified Filipinos. Reports that the three were brought to an unspecified area in Lanao del Sur are being validated by Joint Task Force Ranao, which was reactivated by President Benigno Aquino III last May to combat kidnap-for-ransom groups in the area. — with Carmela Lapeña/RSJ, GMA News