Gas station operator, employee abducted by armed men in North Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Unidentified gunmen abducted a gasoline station operator and her secretary in Libungan, North Cotabato, on Tuesday.

Libungan Mayor Manuel dela Cerna identified the kidnapping victims as Annie Datuwata, 70, owner of Petron Gas Station in Barangay Poblacion, Libungan, and her personal secretary identified only as Christabelle.

Datuwata’s driver, identified only as Rudy, said about 12 men on board a Mitsubishi van without license plate arrived at the gas station at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday amid heavy downpour.

Rudy said the armed men declared a robbery and took the day’s undetermined amount of collection from the cashier, their mobile phones and before leaving, hauled Datuwata into the waiting van.  They also took her secretary at gunpoint.

They then sped toward the direction of Liguasan marshland.

Pursuit operations have been on-going, Dela Cerna said.