Abduction of Zamboanga de Norte mayor baffles authorities; probe ongoing

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Police on Tuesday were still gathering more information from witnesses to solve the kidnapping of a mayor in Zamboanga del Norte who had shunned security escorts because he felt safe moving around town.

Jeffrey Lim, 36, mayor of Salug town, was snatched by a group of armed men Monday night in a case that police admitted still baffled them.

Police have formed Task Force Jeffrey to find and rescue the mayor.

Supt. Kenneth Mission, spokesperson of the task force, said they were still trying to determine why Lim was snatched and what group was behind the abduction.

Mission said that while the information so far gathered from witnesses was “a big help,” the authorities were still in the dark about the kidnapping.

On Tuesday, police officials in Western Mindanao attended a command conference in Salug and a meeting called by the provincial crisis management committee.

Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Rolando Yebes, who said he was out of the country, told the INQUIRER by phone that he had designated Vice Gov. Francis Olvis as chair of the crisis committee.

Brig. Gen. Rainier Cruz, head of the Army 1st Infantry Division, said soldiers have also been deployed to assist in police operations to hunt down the kidnappers and rescue Lim.

Soldiers from the 10th Infantry Division and a unit called Special Forces Condor were to join the operations, according to Cruz.

Mission said the concentration of the search and rescue effort was in the areas of Liloy, Gutalac, Labason and Baliguian towns. “Tracking operation is ongoing …,” he said.

Lim had just finished having dinner at 7 p.m. Monday when abducted by 8-10 armed men.

His family said that shortly before his abduction, the mayor played tennis and decided to have dinner in one of the eateries at the Salug bus terminal.

“He likes to eat in an eatery near the bus station, which is just about 200 meters from his office,” said Jesus Lim, the victim’s father.

The elder Lim, also a former mayor, said his son normally goes around town without any security escort because he always felt safe.

“This is the first time such an incident took place here (Salug). Worse, my son, who is the mayor, became the first victim,” he said.

He said he was not aware of any threats to his son.

But judging from his son’s actions, no threat had been made against the mayor, he said.

“He is a friendly person, he likes to be with the people, mingle with them and I don’t remember him having enemies here,” the elder Lim said.

He said the family was deeply worried for Lim’s safety.

Mission said that based on the accounts of several eyewitnesses, Lim was snatched at gunpoint by armed men “wearing blue police T-shirts and camouflage pants” after the mayor finished his meal.

Lim, the police official said, was forced into a still unidentified type of van.

Cruz said authorities later found the van burned and abandoned in a village in Salug.

Mission said police were establishing the ownership of the van as that piece of information would be a big help in solving the case.