CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Law enforcers on Monday night, June 6, rescued 4 of the current and former students of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) who were kidnapped Saturday night in Lanao del Norte.
Authorities have yet to find two more kidnapping victims.
The team of Iligan City police, Army officers, and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation rescued the following near the boundaries of Bacolod and Munai towns in Lanao de Norte:
- Juhari Gubat, 1st year student
- Kevin Limpin, alumnus
- Hannah Yurong, an IIT dropout
- Eloisa Lacson, a non-IIT student
Law enforcers continue to search for the two other victims:
- Berzon Rey Paeste, 4th year AB History student from Zamboanga del Sur
- Cid Rick Jamias, 5th year BS Electronics and Communication student from Tacurong City
Senior Superintendent Edgar Daniel, Iligan City police director, told Rappler over the phone that the students were on board a private vehicle going to Pagadian City some 5 hours away from the university. Their vehicle was allegedly driven by a man described only as the cousin of Gubat.
MSU-IIT Security Chief Eduardito Maruhom said their investigation showed that the driver reportedly got off the car to make a call when they stopped at a gas station in Tominobo, still in Iligan.
A few minutes after they continued on the road and, upon reaching the national highway in Linamon town in Lanao del Norte, were stopped by armed men.
The students were taken forcibly by the armed men, blindfolded, and brought to an unknown, uphill, and muddy area. They were separately interviewed about their parents’ jobs.
By early Monday morning, unverified reports said 4 of the 6 young people were released: Gubat, Limpin, Yurong, and Lacson. They were found by the composite team, which were able to trace as well the phone calls of the suspects.
MSU-IIT Chancellor Sukarno Tanggol said the university is “doing its best for the safety of the kids.” – Rappler.com