Businessman abducted in Shariff Kabunsuan

Miami
September 10, 2008
Story: Businessman abducted in Shariff Kabunsuan

A businessman was reportedly abducted in a town from Shariff Kabunsuan last Monday, September 8, 2008.

The victim was identified as Jesus Federico Martinez also known as Bonnie and owner of a beach resort in Barangay Kusiong in Datu Odin Sinusuat town of Shariff Kabunsuan.

Martinez was abducted at around 1:00 pm, September 8 in Barangay Mompong also in Datu Odin Sinuat in Shariff Kabunsuan by five armed men riding a Toyota Corona car. Martinez was riding on his motorcycle when he was abducted.

Shariff Kabunsuan Provincial Director Supt. Esmael Pua Ali, the place of incident is near Barangay Kusiong where the victim has their beach resort and coconut plantation. The said victim was about to go to the resort.

“According to some witnesses, the van came from the back of Martinez, it seems that the vehicle followed the victim, we still do not know how he was followed, but they blocked the path of Martinez, five men alighted from the van then forcibly asked him to ride at their car,” Pua Ali said.

The police have no suspects yet on who is the responsible on the abduction but they are thinking that the motive is personal because of the family businesses. Pua Ali said that there are reports that their is a family feud in the Martinez clan because of their beach resort and coconut plantation, there are other family members who wants to have bigger share on it.

But he also said, “We are also looking at the possibility that this could be a fund-raising activity for lawless elements being pursued by government troops in other parts of Mindanao.”

“The family is not giving enough information to us. But we learned that the abductors already asking for Php10 million ransom demand without any deadlines and we do not know if the family is raising funds for this,” Pua Ali said.