Rescue launched for abducted mayor

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Police are 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 said was still a puzzle to them.

Police have formed Task Force Jeffrey to hunt down the group that took Lim and possibly rescue the mayor.

Supt. Kenneth Mission, spokesperson of the task force, said police were still searching for answers, though, on why Lim was seized or what group was behind his abduction.

Information from witnesses, said Mission, “is a big help but, so far, we cannot ascertain the motive for the abduction or the identities of the abductors.”

Crisis meeting

Police officials in Western Mindanao  were at a command conference in Salug yesterday and attended 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 were also sent to help police in operations to hunt down the suspects 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 going on against the perpetrators,” he said.

Dinner surprise

Lim had just finished having dinner 7 p.m. on Monday when he was abducted by eight to 10 armed men.

His family said that shortly before his abduction, the mayor played tennis and decided to have his 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.

The elder Lim said he was not aware of any threats to his son.

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

Likes people

“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 over the safety of his son.

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

Lim was forced into a still unidentified type of van, Mission said.

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

Mission said police are now establishing the ownership of the van as that piece of information would be a big help in solving the case. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao