ZAMBOANGA CITY—One of the three minors abducted and used as human shield by unidentified armed men in Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur, on March 31 was fished out of sea dead on Friday.
Senior Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo, head of the Western Mindanao police’s regional intelligence division, said the body of two-year old Zynielle Garban was discovered by a fisherman floating near the town’s fish port.
Garban, her three-year old brother and their 17-year old nanny were snatched by the armed men who were evading police authorities following the botched kidnapping of a bakery owner in the town on March 31.
Senior Supt. Cleve Taboso, operations officer of the Western Mindanao police office, said the victims were used as human shields.
Taboso said at least 10 armed men arrived onboard motorized bancas at the port near the public market of Pitogo and tried to kidnap bakery owner Chzarenia Kapa Sajulga around 5:30 p.m.
The men, armed with high-powered firearms, failed to snatch the victim after she was able to run inside her establishment and lock herself in, he said.
Taboso said the armed men followed the victim and tried but failed to destroy the lock of the bakery by firing on the knob.
“The suspects returned to their pump boats without their target. Along the way of their withdrawal, they encountered the elements of responding units from Pitogo Police Station, this resulted in an exchange of gun fires prompting suspects to drag three minors, who happened to pass by the area,” Taboso said.
“The three children were not the direct target of abduction, it was the bakeshop owner,” Taboso added.
Taboso said authorities were continuing the search for and possible rescue of the two remaining minors. RC