Ma, toddler kidnapped in GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—A mother and her two-year-old daughter were snatched by unidentified men while attending mass at the St. Michael Parish Church here around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Director Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao (Dipo-WM), identified the victims as Dina Dumaran and her daughter Sophie.

Khu, in a text message, claimed that Ian Dumaran and wife Dina were inside the church when their daughter ran outside.

The mother followed, but they failed to return even after the mass was over, Khu said.

Khu said that a few minutes after the duo went missing, Ian’s father, Igmedio Dumaran, a businessman and owner of Shell Gasoline station in Purok Malakas, Barangay City Heights here, received a call from unidentified men introducing themselves as kidnappers.

The elder Dumaran told the police the kidnappers told them the two victims were in their hands and to wait for instruction from them.

Igmedio further told the police he was also warned not to report the incident to the police.

Khu said ransom money has been asked by the kidnappers for the release of the victims but no specific amount has been mentioned. —with a report from Danica Hermogenes