CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/19 September)—A prominent agricultural supplies trader was abducted by still unidentified kidnappers here Monday, police sources said.
This city’s Public Safety Company commander P/Supt. Danildo Tumanda initially said he received a report that unidentified men abducted Manuel Boniao, owner of People’s Agri Supply, and his son at about 11 am, Monday.
He said the kidnappers, who posed as police officers, approached the security guard of Boniao’s store in Barangay Gusa and disarmed him, and went inside the store where they took Boniao and his son by force, said Tumanda.
But the police official later said only the father was abducted.
Tumanda added that the kidnappers and the victim boarded a red Isuzu Adventure with plate number SSZ-205 and fled towards the eastern part of the city, Barangay Puerto.
Plate numbers that begin with the letter S are reserved for government-owned vehicles.
In a radio interview, Mayor Vicente Emano ordered city police director Gerardo Rosales to block the city’s five exit points—three going to Bukidnon province and two going to Lanao de Norte province.
“Boniao is a close personal friend. He is not very rich and his business is facing problems. This is very unfortunate incident,” said Emano over a radio station.
Rosales, for his part, said they have deployed police officers at the city’s exit points and launched a pursuit operation.
“Until we receive any ransom demand from the abductors, we still cannot confirm their motives,” he said. (Cong Corrales/MindaNews)