2 charged in kidnap of Zamboanga mayor’s son

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Police have filed charges against two suspects in the kidnapping of the son of a mayor in Zamboanga del Norte province last week.

Chief Supt. Billy Beltran, Western Mindanao police regional director, said the police filed the charges against Soudi Banguih, 36, and Edilberto Albino, 61, after they were identified as part of the group that abducted Jed Quimbo, 30, son of Labason Mayor Eddie Quimbo.

Beltran said Banguih and Albino, both held at the Labason police station, were caught on closed circuit television camera footage helping four others in forcing the mayor’s son out of his hardware store in Barangay Antonio.

The footage showed armed men taking the younger Quimbo to a waiting van.

Police recovered the vehicle in Barangay Osukan, also in Labason. “Until now, there is no call or any attempt from the side of the captors to contact the mayor for any demand,” Beltran said. —JULIE ALIPALA