Kidnappers demand P400K for family abducted in Zamboanga del Norte

PAGADIAN CITY — The kidnappers of the family of six reported missing on Thursday have called a local official here, demanding a ransom of P400,000.

PO3 Rashid Rivera, investigator at the Sirawai police station in Sirawai town, Zamboanga del Norte, said the town vice mayor, Jaime Felizarta, told the Sirawai police on Friday that he received a call from a certain “Abu,” informing him that they are demanding P400,000 for the release of family.

The missing family, whose members were identified as Feliciano “Jerry” Javier, 28; his wife Elsa, 28; their son, Vincent, five months; Junior Javier, 22; his wife Rica and their five-year-old son, worked as caretakers of a farm owned by the municipal engineer here.

Police said they were still convening a crisis committee to handle the situation. /ee