In my entry, "Kidnap for Ransom for the Fourth Quarter of 2011, Part II," I discussed the KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom of Bai Faridah Olam Alidao, a 34 year old businesswoman from Iligan City in Lanao del Norte Province and her 22 year old driver Mokamed "Moca" Mimbantas. Moca was driving Ms.Adilao's pickup truck as he drove his boss home after leaving the family business headquarters in Marawi City's Pacasum Plaza, on Gumisa Avenue.
As they entered Barangay Nangka in the municipality of Balo-i, in Lanao del Norte Province they came to a PNP, or Philippine National Police checkpoint. As their pickup inched to the front of the cue an "officer" asked Ms.Adilao and Mr.Mimbantas to exit the vehicle for a spot search. Complying with the "officer's" directive they stepped out of the truck only to find themselves quickly ushered into an idling minivan that had been parked on the side of the road. It was then that they realised that they had been kidnapped.
Not long afterwards Ms.Adilao's husband, Sultan Abdurahim "Kim" Badawi Adilao, still at the Marawi City business headquarters, received a short and terse phone call from the kidnappers informing him that his wife and their driver had both been taken captive. The caller then instructed him not to contact the authorities. Of course that last point is moot since the kidnapping had transpired in broad daylight with a long cue of waiting motorists taking in quite an eyefill. The kidnapping had probably been reported before the minivan carrying the two captives had driven from the scene.
Thr Adilaos are extremely sucessful businesspeople whose bread and butter is the six store chain of retail weapon outlets, "Tactical Guns and Ammo Enterprises," and the closely affiliated four store private security firm, "Tactical Security Agency." In addition the couple own a single franchise of the "Generic Rx" pharmacy chain, a commercial printing shoppe, a ferry and aviation ticketing agency and to top it all off the couple are recent awardees of a contract to train area PNP (Philippine National Police) via TESDA, the Technical Education and Skills Development Agency, a Governmental entity.
At just after 3AM on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011, personnel manning a PNP (Philippine National Police) checkpoint in the municipality of Linamon's Barangay Nunukan, in Lanao del Norte Province were more than a bit suprised to see a couple in handcuffs nervously walking towards them. As the couple got closer one officer recognised the female as Bae Faridah Olam Adilao. Covered in bruises and almost catatonic she barely uttered a sound. The man, her driver Mokamed "Moca" Mimbantas was in tears himself but was able to give both their names and explain that indeed, they were the two kidnap victims that had been abducted in Balo-i on October 4th. Although both had suffered greatly they were alive and free.
Showing posts with label Kidnapping for Ransom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kidnapping for Ransom. Show all posts
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Kidnap for Ransom for the Fourth Quarter of 2011, Part III: The Release of Evangeline Taverisma
In my entry, "Kidnap for Ransom for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part V" I discussed the case of 55 year old Evangeline Taverisma. The wife of a retired AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines soldier, Ms.Taverisma spent much of her time at the Rural Health Station in Barangay Tagbak, in the municipality of Indanan on Sulu Province's Jolo Island. There Evangeline worked as a midwife much as she had been doing for the better part of the past thirty-five years.
As Ms.Taverisma walked home from her job on the afternoon August 3rd, 2011, she was waylaid by four gun wielding men who, while waving 45 caliber pistols in the air, angrily ordered her to quickly get inside the red six-bench (a shorter version of the "jeepney") Toyota Tamaraw that they had recently commandeered. The men, ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group guerillas under Kumander Nasir Timbang then spirited Ms.Taverisma into the upland barangay of Kuppung where she then spent the better part of the next two weeks.
Kumander Timbang then sold Ms.Taverisma to a second Abu Sayyaf faction under Kumander Muhmar Jikiri in a deal brokered by Timbang's wingman, known only by his nom de guerre, sub-Kumander Pula and Jikiri Clansmen Sarippuddin "Iddih" Jikiri, the 23 year old Mayor of Indanan and the son of MNLF-EC15 (MNLF-Executive Committee of 15 aka MNLF-Sema) senior officer Yusop Jikiri, former Governor and Congressman to boot. It was Kumander Muhmar Jikiri who then opened ransom negotiations with the ridiculously high sum of P5 Million ($105,000). As a midwife at a Government health clinic and the wife of a retired AFP enlisted man there was no way that Ms.Taverisma's loved ones could even raise P500,000 ($11,000). Luckily for her perhaps, she was able to regain her freedom without a single centavo ever being paid.
On Thursday, October 6th, 2011 the Sulu PPO, or Provincial Police Office, was on reconnaisance patrol in the municipality of Parang. Sometime after crossing into the upland barangay of Lanao Dakula they began taking fire from a thickly wooded area. When the shooting stopped 10 minutes later the police officers carefully made their way into the wooded area and discovered a small ASG encampment. Moreover, huddling inside a blue plastic tarp, shivering in fear, was Ms.Taverisma. The Sulu PPO immediately transported the still shocked woman into Jolo City where she was released to the custody of the Provincial Hospital for the requisite medical exam, with her de-briefing scheduled for later today, Friday, October 7th.
As Ms.Taverisma walked home from her job on the afternoon August 3rd, 2011, she was waylaid by four gun wielding men who, while waving 45 caliber pistols in the air, angrily ordered her to quickly get inside the red six-bench (a shorter version of the "jeepney") Toyota Tamaraw that they had recently commandeered. The men, ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group guerillas under Kumander Nasir Timbang then spirited Ms.Taverisma into the upland barangay of Kuppung where she then spent the better part of the next two weeks.
Kumander Timbang then sold Ms.Taverisma to a second Abu Sayyaf faction under Kumander Muhmar Jikiri in a deal brokered by Timbang's wingman, known only by his nom de guerre, sub-Kumander Pula and Jikiri Clansmen Sarippuddin "Iddih" Jikiri, the 23 year old Mayor of Indanan and the son of MNLF-EC15 (MNLF-Executive Committee of 15 aka MNLF-Sema) senior officer Yusop Jikiri, former Governor and Congressman to boot. It was Kumander Muhmar Jikiri who then opened ransom negotiations with the ridiculously high sum of P5 Million ($105,000). As a midwife at a Government health clinic and the wife of a retired AFP enlisted man there was no way that Ms.Taverisma's loved ones could even raise P500,000 ($11,000). Luckily for her perhaps, she was able to regain her freedom without a single centavo ever being paid.
On Thursday, October 6th, 2011 the Sulu PPO, or Provincial Police Office, was on reconnaisance patrol in the municipality of Parang. Sometime after crossing into the upland barangay of Lanao Dakula they began taking fire from a thickly wooded area. When the shooting stopped 10 minutes later the police officers carefully made their way into the wooded area and discovered a small ASG encampment. Moreover, huddling inside a blue plastic tarp, shivering in fear, was Ms.Taverisma. The Sulu PPO immediately transported the still shocked woman into Jolo City where she was released to the custody of the Provincial Hospital for the requisite medical exam, with her de-briefing scheduled for later today, Friday, October 7th.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Kidanp for Ransom for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part XV: The Release of Manuel Boniao
In my recent "Kidnap for Ransom for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part XII" entry I discussed the September 19th, 2011 KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom of Cagayan del Oro City businessman Manuel G.Boniao. For those who don't recall, men dressed in PNP, or Philippine National Police, uniforms entered Peoples Agri Supply in Barangay Gusa and managed to disarm the lone security guard and divest him of his pump shotgun. Grabbing Mr.Boniao as well as his 17 year old son Edwin the faux (or authentic) policemen made their way out of the warehouse-like building. Arguing amongst themselves the kidnappers ended up not taking the boy and exited with only Mr.Boniao before speeding away into Barangay Puerto and an escape by sea.
On Wednesday, September 21st, the Isuzu Adventure used in the kidnapping was discovered unoccupied in the neighbouring province of Bukidnon. Parked on the side of a hiway in Sitio Langga in the municipality of Sumilao's Barangay San Vicente, facing towards Cagayan del Oro City, it had been amateurishly spraypainted black in a foolish attempt to change the vehicle's appearance. Twenty-two empty cans of black Pylox spray paint along with three jars of mostly used laquer thinner were discovered inside the SUV, along with the six police patrol tee shirts used in the kidnapping and four PNP baseball caps. The tee shirts are easily faked but all six of these shirts were PNP-issued to PRO-4A, or Police Regional Office for Region 4A. Region 4A is more popularly known as CALABARZON Region, on Luzon. While those shirts definitely lend creedence to the intelligence coming out of Manila that the various PNP cliques moonlighting as KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom groups have finally branched into the south, it is also just as possible that the uniforms had been captured or stolen.
As for a police connection, such a development, if accurate, is very interesting because of the propencity of turf wars between newcomers, albeit highly organised, and the well established local Mindanowan organisations directly tied into the local power structure. Also found in the re-painted SUV was a roll of tape, Boniao's emptied brown leather wallet and most noteworthy of all, the discovery of Mr.Boniao's sleeveless blue tee shirt with blood stains all over it. The SUV was traced and found to have been originally owned by Abdul Hakim Grande. On September 15th, 2011, four days before Mr.Boniao was dragged into hell, Mr.Grande sold the vehicle to Enrique Goltiao. Mr.Goltiao tells a funny story. According to him, as soon as he bought the red Isuzu Adventure (NOT a Mitsibushi Adventure as many have erroneously reported), he turned right around and flipped it to an auto broker whom he knows only by the eponym, or should I instead say "nom de guerre," Gayong. Ridiculously police claim to be focusing on "Gayong" as opposed to hanging Enrique Goltiao up by his thumbs and laying the rattan on him.
Almost immediately after the September 19th abduction the family contacted an old friend, Felix Borromeo, the ex-Mayor of Balingasag, a municipality within Bukidnon Province, who was tied into the local KFR industry. With Borremeo's assistance the negotiations went smoothly but as in all cases resolved within days the Boniao Family ended up paying much more than would normally be the case. Reportedly Mrs.Boniao pushed Mr.Borremeo to pay whatever they demanded so as to not prolong the ordeal. One certainly cannot criticise the woman even if no compelling evidence like her husband's badly bloodied shirt were discovered. As if that wasn't horrendous enough I am sure that Mrs.Boniao was well aware of the infamous KFR of their former business associate, Bennie Longbien Lee. The Tsinoy (Filipino of Chinese descent) businessman's shop was directly next door to Boniao's Peoples Agri Supply. Way back in 1980 Mr.Lee was kidnapped from his place of business, just as Mr.Boniao was. When the family took too long consolidating their money for a steep ransom demand Mr.Lee was executed. Understandably Mrs.Boniao, who personally witnessed her husband's abduction, was in no shape to endure a long and drawn out negotiating process.
Mr.Borremeo did as Mrs.Boniao requested and managed to net a 33% reduction from the kidnapper's first authentic offer of 5.5 Million Pesos. That same day, Saturday, September 24th, he then delivered a "Room and Lodging Fee" of 1.5 Million Pesos ($33,000) to a representative of the KFR group at a local mall. That evening, Mr.Boniao was dropped off in front of his Cagayan del Oro city home in Barangay Carmen's Golden Village Sub-division having taken a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi), after his abductors dropped him off on a hiway in Lanao del Sur Province.
Aside from having been handcuffed during his five day ordeal and almost always under a blindfold, Mr.Boniao was apparently none the worse for the wear although quite often the psychological wounds run a lot deeper and often never heal at all. In Zamboanga City, inside of Camp Navarro, the huge military base that serves as the home of WESMINCOM, or Western Mindanao Command, sits a non-descript turquiose and white concrete bungalow. Not much to look at, it is proof positive that great things often come in small packages. Officially christened "Healing House" it was created through the hard work and tireless effort of a female American expatriate, psychologist Eleanor Lisa Beyea Pomoroy PhD, who spent the better part of a year and a half working at Dr.Torres Memorial Hospital in Lamitan City on the island of Basilan. Her place of employment was the scene of a pivotal ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group, kidnapping that took place way back in 2001.
Then-leader of the Basilan ASG, Khadaffy Janjalani, younger brother of ASG founder Abdurajak Janjalani, had led his band of sorry misfits in an audacious attack against a high priced resort off of Palawan Island's capital of Puerto Princessa. The kidnapping including three Americans (the Burnhams, Martin and Gracia, a missionary couple, and Guillermo Sobrero, a would be lothario) and high tailed it back south to Basilan.
Landing in Basilan with the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines, right behind him Janjalani led his men and their captives to what he thought would be his last stand, inside Dr.Torres Memorial Hospital. Of course Janjalani managed to escape out of there with even more captives thanks to the connivance of local politicians and the local military commander. However, the Palawan abduction, known commonly as the "Dos Palmas Kidnapping," after the pricey resort where it transpired, has become the quinessential expat nightmare. It made such an impression on the female American I mentioned that she launched an initiative that culminated in the creation of the afore mentioned "Healing House." The name refers to a lot more than the modest concrete structure situated catacorner to a food stall, but to the scores of therapeutic programmes that seek to alleviate much of the mental baggage carried by kidnapping victims. Unfortunately the programme ended not long after she returned to the United States but it ought to have set a standard of care for these battered and bruised victims, of which Mr.Boniao surely is one.
Speaking of the Dos Palmas Kidnapping, two brothers from Basilan learned this week that one must always pay for their mistakes. As teens brothers Abu Abdul Aziz Kunting and Abu Akmed Kunting joined Abu Sayyaf. The decision wouldn't have been too difficult given the island of Basilan's extreme poverty and the Abu Sayyaf's recent kidnapping on Sipidan Island in Malaysia having netted the group more than 20 Million US Dollars coutesy of Libya. So much money was floating around in those days that the US Dollar lost half its value on Jolo Island. In the days after the Dos Palmas Kidnapping they must have seriously questioned their decision. Living in the deep bush in Basilan is incredibly difficult since practically all the island's population lives along its coast. Then, being chased to Zamboanga where the infamous Abu Sobaya ended up going down in a fussilade of bullets...well, you get the picture.
The Brothers Kunting chuckked it away for a new life as Robert and Jason Tan, respectively. Now living as Christians they gravitated towards Davao Region and it was there that the AFP's MIGs (Military Intelligence Group) 9 and 11, backed by the 28IB (Infantry Battalion) and the 104th Military Intelligence Company found them on September 23rd, 2011. Living in a non-descript thatched hut (nipa) in the municipality of Mati's Barangay Matiao in Davao Oriental Province, the two were taken on warrants out of Regional Trial Court #9 in Zamboanga City for Illegal Detention and Kidnapping in the Dos Palmas Kidnapping. The past ALWAYS catches up with you.
On Wednesday, September 21st, the Isuzu Adventure used in the kidnapping was discovered unoccupied in the neighbouring province of Bukidnon. Parked on the side of a hiway in Sitio Langga in the municipality of Sumilao's Barangay San Vicente, facing towards Cagayan del Oro City, it had been amateurishly spraypainted black in a foolish attempt to change the vehicle's appearance. Twenty-two empty cans of black Pylox spray paint along with three jars of mostly used laquer thinner were discovered inside the SUV, along with the six police patrol tee shirts used in the kidnapping and four PNP baseball caps. The tee shirts are easily faked but all six of these shirts were PNP-issued to PRO-4A, or Police Regional Office for Region 4A. Region 4A is more popularly known as CALABARZON Region, on Luzon. While those shirts definitely lend creedence to the intelligence coming out of Manila that the various PNP cliques moonlighting as KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom groups have finally branched into the south, it is also just as possible that the uniforms had been captured or stolen.
As for a police connection, such a development, if accurate, is very interesting because of the propencity of turf wars between newcomers, albeit highly organised, and the well established local Mindanowan organisations directly tied into the local power structure. Also found in the re-painted SUV was a roll of tape, Boniao's emptied brown leather wallet and most noteworthy of all, the discovery of Mr.Boniao's sleeveless blue tee shirt with blood stains all over it. The SUV was traced and found to have been originally owned by Abdul Hakim Grande. On September 15th, 2011, four days before Mr.Boniao was dragged into hell, Mr.Grande sold the vehicle to Enrique Goltiao. Mr.Goltiao tells a funny story. According to him, as soon as he bought the red Isuzu Adventure (NOT a Mitsibushi Adventure as many have erroneously reported), he turned right around and flipped it to an auto broker whom he knows only by the eponym, or should I instead say "nom de guerre," Gayong. Ridiculously police claim to be focusing on "Gayong" as opposed to hanging Enrique Goltiao up by his thumbs and laying the rattan on him.
Almost immediately after the September 19th abduction the family contacted an old friend, Felix Borromeo, the ex-Mayor of Balingasag, a municipality within Bukidnon Province, who was tied into the local KFR industry. With Borremeo's assistance the negotiations went smoothly but as in all cases resolved within days the Boniao Family ended up paying much more than would normally be the case. Reportedly Mrs.Boniao pushed Mr.Borremeo to pay whatever they demanded so as to not prolong the ordeal. One certainly cannot criticise the woman even if no compelling evidence like her husband's badly bloodied shirt were discovered. As if that wasn't horrendous enough I am sure that Mrs.Boniao was well aware of the infamous KFR of their former business associate, Bennie Longbien Lee. The Tsinoy (Filipino of Chinese descent) businessman's shop was directly next door to Boniao's Peoples Agri Supply. Way back in 1980 Mr.Lee was kidnapped from his place of business, just as Mr.Boniao was. When the family took too long consolidating their money for a steep ransom demand Mr.Lee was executed. Understandably Mrs.Boniao, who personally witnessed her husband's abduction, was in no shape to endure a long and drawn out negotiating process.
Mr.Borremeo did as Mrs.Boniao requested and managed to net a 33% reduction from the kidnapper's first authentic offer of 5.5 Million Pesos. That same day, Saturday, September 24th, he then delivered a "Room and Lodging Fee" of 1.5 Million Pesos ($33,000) to a representative of the KFR group at a local mall. That evening, Mr.Boniao was dropped off in front of his Cagayan del Oro city home in Barangay Carmen's Golden Village Sub-division having taken a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi), after his abductors dropped him off on a hiway in Lanao del Sur Province.
Aside from having been handcuffed during his five day ordeal and almost always under a blindfold, Mr.Boniao was apparently none the worse for the wear although quite often the psychological wounds run a lot deeper and often never heal at all. In Zamboanga City, inside of Camp Navarro, the huge military base that serves as the home of WESMINCOM, or Western Mindanao Command, sits a non-descript turquiose and white concrete bungalow. Not much to look at, it is proof positive that great things often come in small packages. Officially christened "Healing House" it was created through the hard work and tireless effort of a female American expatriate, psychologist Eleanor Lisa Beyea Pomoroy PhD, who spent the better part of a year and a half working at Dr.Torres Memorial Hospital in Lamitan City on the island of Basilan. Her place of employment was the scene of a pivotal ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group, kidnapping that took place way back in 2001.
Then-leader of the Basilan ASG, Khadaffy Janjalani, younger brother of ASG founder Abdurajak Janjalani, had led his band of sorry misfits in an audacious attack against a high priced resort off of Palawan Island's capital of Puerto Princessa. The kidnapping including three Americans (the Burnhams, Martin and Gracia, a missionary couple, and Guillermo Sobrero, a would be lothario) and high tailed it back south to Basilan.
Landing in Basilan with the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines, right behind him Janjalani led his men and their captives to what he thought would be his last stand, inside Dr.Torres Memorial Hospital. Of course Janjalani managed to escape out of there with even more captives thanks to the connivance of local politicians and the local military commander. However, the Palawan abduction, known commonly as the "Dos Palmas Kidnapping," after the pricey resort where it transpired, has become the quinessential expat nightmare. It made such an impression on the female American I mentioned that she launched an initiative that culminated in the creation of the afore mentioned "Healing House." The name refers to a lot more than the modest concrete structure situated catacorner to a food stall, but to the scores of therapeutic programmes that seek to alleviate much of the mental baggage carried by kidnapping victims. Unfortunately the programme ended not long after she returned to the United States but it ought to have set a standard of care for these battered and bruised victims, of which Mr.Boniao surely is one.
Speaking of the Dos Palmas Kidnapping, two brothers from Basilan learned this week that one must always pay for their mistakes. As teens brothers Abu Abdul Aziz Kunting and Abu Akmed Kunting joined Abu Sayyaf. The decision wouldn't have been too difficult given the island of Basilan's extreme poverty and the Abu Sayyaf's recent kidnapping on Sipidan Island in Malaysia having netted the group more than 20 Million US Dollars coutesy of Libya. So much money was floating around in those days that the US Dollar lost half its value on Jolo Island. In the days after the Dos Palmas Kidnapping they must have seriously questioned their decision. Living in the deep bush in Basilan is incredibly difficult since practically all the island's population lives along its coast. Then, being chased to Zamboanga where the infamous Abu Sobaya ended up going down in a fussilade of bullets...well, you get the picture.
The Brothers Kunting chuckked it away for a new life as Robert and Jason Tan, respectively. Now living as Christians they gravitated towards Davao Region and it was there that the AFP's MIGs (Military Intelligence Group) 9 and 11, backed by the 28IB (Infantry Battalion) and the 104th Military Intelligence Company found them on September 23rd, 2011. Living in a non-descript thatched hut (nipa) in the municipality of Mati's Barangay Matiao in Davao Oriental Province, the two were taken on warrants out of Regional Trial Court #9 in Zamboanga City for Illegal Detention and Kidnapping in the Dos Palmas Kidnapping. The past ALWAYS catches up with you.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Kidnap for Ransom, Third Quarter of 2011, Part VIII: Alexander "Alex" Lim, Boyet "Henry" Alumbra, and Edgar Gomez
25 year old Alexander "Alex" Lim was spending June 8th much as he always did, supervising construction projects undertaken by the family firm, D L Construction. Based in Misamis Occidental Province's municipality of Ozamiz City, the company concentrates on Government projects such as the rehabilitation of Narciso Ramos National Hiway. In fact, it was that particular job that occupied Alex's mind that morning as he left the company compound. Driving the company's Toyota Fortuner was Alex's driver, Edgar Gomez. Along for the ride was Engineer Boyet "Henry" Alumbra, a private consultant contracted by the Government who was travelling with the pair in order to inspect D L's latest work on the road project. The trio planned to spend the morning inspecting work across the provincial line, in Lanao del Norte Province's town of Linamon. The company had just finished paving a stretch from that municipality's Barangay Samboron leading into the outskirts of Iligan City. Then, afterward, they planned to drop Mr.Alumbra off in the next province of Misamis Oriental, so that he could sign off on the work at the Regional DPWH, or Department of Public Works and Highways Office in Cagayan del Oro City.
By 925AM the group had entered Linamon and were just about to reach their destination in Barangay Samboron when they fell into line at a joint LTO/PNP (Land Transportation Office/Philippine National Police) checkpoint. As the SUV inched forward the three men hadn't noticed five men, all pointing M16s and in uniform surrounding their vehicle. Ordered to exit their vehicle the three were shunted towards a black Toyota Tamaraw FX and ordered to climb in. As two of the gunmen got into the D L Construction SUV the two vehicles left Linamon heading south.
Crossing the border into Lanao del Sur Province the two vehicles entered the municipality of Balo-i. Suddenly the vehicles pulled over in front of Balo-i Elementary School and after divesting him of his personal identification ordered Mr.Alumbra out and ordered him not to report the kidnapping to anyone lest they have to re-visit him under less amicble circumstances. Driving through Balo-i the vehicles again pulled over after entering Barangay Sarip Alawi. This time it was Mr.Gomez who was ordered out of the Tamaraw after being given that same threatening warning. Now only holding Mr.Lim the 2 vehicles proceeded on into Marawi City. On the edge of town the two vehicles pulled over once again. After setting the D L Construction SUV on fire the two gunmen who had occupied it got into the Tamaraw and drove with Mr.Lim into captivity.
From the typically ridiculous first demand of P20 Million ($475,000) negotiations for Mr. Lim's ransom ended up progressing very smoothly until, on July 9th, 2011 a representative of Lim's father handed over 1.5 Million Pesos ($33,000). On July 11th Alexander "Alex" Lim was released in the municipality of Saguiaran in Lanao del Sur Province.
Co-incidentally, this is the specific KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom that the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines' Colonel Daniel Lucero, Commanding Officer of the 103rd Brigade, has used as his rationale in pinning all recent KFRs within his AOR, or Area of Responsibility (as in "Area of Operation") on the Kuratong Baleng. As I noted in at least one recent KFR entry the Kuratong were a paramilitary, from Ozamiz City, who were co-opted by the AFP in the early-1980s in its COIN, or Counterinsurgency struggle against the NPA. After the group's de-activation at the end of the 1980s they fissured into roving criminal bands, almost all of whom operated on Luzon and to a lesser extent in the Visayas Region. Even if they were still in existence, and they are not, they could never operate in Muslim-dominated Lanao del Sur Province. They were Bisaya.
By 925AM the group had entered Linamon and were just about to reach their destination in Barangay Samboron when they fell into line at a joint LTO/PNP (Land Transportation Office/Philippine National Police) checkpoint. As the SUV inched forward the three men hadn't noticed five men, all pointing M16s and in uniform surrounding their vehicle. Ordered to exit their vehicle the three were shunted towards a black Toyota Tamaraw FX and ordered to climb in. As two of the gunmen got into the D L Construction SUV the two vehicles left Linamon heading south.
Crossing the border into Lanao del Sur Province the two vehicles entered the municipality of Balo-i. Suddenly the vehicles pulled over in front of Balo-i Elementary School and after divesting him of his personal identification ordered Mr.Alumbra out and ordered him not to report the kidnapping to anyone lest they have to re-visit him under less amicble circumstances. Driving through Balo-i the vehicles again pulled over after entering Barangay Sarip Alawi. This time it was Mr.Gomez who was ordered out of the Tamaraw after being given that same threatening warning. Now only holding Mr.Lim the 2 vehicles proceeded on into Marawi City. On the edge of town the two vehicles pulled over once again. After setting the D L Construction SUV on fire the two gunmen who had occupied it got into the Tamaraw and drove with Mr.Lim into captivity.
From the typically ridiculous first demand of P20 Million ($475,000) negotiations for Mr. Lim's ransom ended up progressing very smoothly until, on July 9th, 2011 a representative of Lim's father handed over 1.5 Million Pesos ($33,000). On July 11th Alexander "Alex" Lim was released in the municipality of Saguiaran in Lanao del Sur Province.
Co-incidentally, this is the specific KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom that the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines' Colonel Daniel Lucero, Commanding Officer of the 103rd Brigade, has used as his rationale in pinning all recent KFRs within his AOR, or Area of Responsibility (as in "Area of Operation") on the Kuratong Baleng. As I noted in at least one recent KFR entry the Kuratong were a paramilitary, from Ozamiz City, who were co-opted by the AFP in the early-1980s in its COIN, or Counterinsurgency struggle against the NPA. After the group's de-activation at the end of the 1980s they fissured into roving criminal bands, almost all of whom operated on Luzon and to a lesser extent in the Visayas Region. Even if they were still in existence, and they are not, they could never operate in Muslim-dominated Lanao del Sur Province. They were Bisaya.
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