Police, military, LGUs join forces to rescue 2 abducted Fil-Ams in Zamboanga

MANILA, Philippines—The police, military and local government units have joined forces to rescue two abducted US citizens and a Filipino in Zamboanga City, the chief of the Philippine National Police said Wednesday.

Director General Raul Bacalzo said that the joint efforts of police and military were “now on the ground.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat convened the Crisis Management Committee, which has met with the army and police officers in the area to map out strategies on rescuing Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, who is a naturalized American, her 14-year-old son Kevin and a 19-year-old nephew.

Bacalzo also said they were searching for the victims in locations where they could have been taken.

Bacalzo emphasized that they are doing their best “to finally recover or rescue the victims without posing any danger to the safety of the victims.”

So far, no demands for ransom have been reported, Bacalzo said.—Frances Mangosing, INQUIRER.net