Gunmen abduct trader, two others in Lanao del Norte

LINAMON, Lanao del Norte — Unidentified armed men seized the owner of Findlay Millar Timber Co. and two others in Linamon, Lanao del Norte, police said Friday.

FMTC owner Robert Kua and an Edwin dela Torre were on their way to Cagayan de Oro City from Kolambugan town on board a blue Toyota Land Cruiser when snatched in Barangay Samburon around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Senior Superintendent Madid Paitao, Lanao del Norte police director told Inquirer.

“Their vehicle was flagged down by unidentified armed men in Samburon. On board the vehicle were Kua, an engineer Edwin dela Torre, a still unidentified police officer serving as the businessman’s escort, and the driver, Candidio Mausisa, a resident of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental,” Paitao said.

He said the armed men released the driver before fleeing with the vehicle that the victims were in.

Paitao said what puzzled the police was that Mausisa did not immediately report the abduction.

During follow up operation, he said authorities recovered the vehicle in Barangay Dimayon, a hinterland village of Tagoloan I town, also in Lanao del Norte.

Paitao said the police had suspected that the victims were brought somewhere in Marawi City.

The kidnappers have not communicated with Kua’s family yet, he said.

“We are still investigating the incident in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation in Iligan City. The driver was also being investigated for failure to immediately report the incident. We are also ascertaining the identity of the escort,” Paitao said.