Police, military arrest 10 kidnappers of Labangan, Zambo Sur businessman’s son

Two of the 10 kidnapped suspects Ronald Luzon

and Jovencio Luzon arrested by the Joint government

operatives. (Photo by JONG CADION)

By HIROHITO D. CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Jan. 27 (PNA) – Combined police and military forces have arrested Sunday in separate operations 10 people who were responsible in the kidnapping and killing of a businessman’s son of Labangan town, this province.

Provincial police director Senior Supt. Sofronio Ecaldre announced Monday that five of the 10 suspects were separately arrested in Labangan, this province, while the other five in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur.

Arrested in Purok Manga 2, Barangay New Labangan, Labangan town were the following: Ray Mansa, 43, his wife, Lucita, 39; Ronald Luzon, 30; Jovencio Luzon, 45; and Hamedi Balatocal, 26.

Recovered in Balabagan the Corpuz’s motorcycle

and the motorized banca they used in transporting

the victim from Zamboanga del Sur to Lanao del Sur.

(Photo by JONG CADION)

Ecaldre said the Labangan-based suspects were arrested following the arrest of Balatocal in an entrapment operation as he was tasked by the kidnappers to pick up the P150,000 cash they have demanded from the victim’s family.

Ecaldre said that the Labangan-based suspects except for Balatocal have standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms that stemmed from the case filed against the for the kidnapping of Edmund Corpuz, 31.

Corpuz, whose family owns vast track of rice field and a rice mill in Labangan town, was kidnapped on November 27, 2013.

Ecaldre said that through the revelation of Balatocal, the combined police and military arresting team were able to arrest in a follow up operation the other five suspects in Barangay Molimok, Balabagan, Lanao del Sur.

They were identified as follows: Danny Luzon, 42; Dante Mangubat, 42; Sergio Cabana, 48; Efren Sisiban, Jr., 21; and Efren Sisiban, Sr., 51.

Ecaldre said the arresting team has recovered in Balabagan the Corpuz’s motorcycle and the motorized banca they used in transporting the victim from Zamboanga del Sur to Lanao del Sur.

However, Ecaldre said the suspects revealed during the investigation that they have killed Corpuz last January 2 and the victim’s body was thrown in Yllana Bay.

Ecaldre said it was possibly the suspects have killed the victim since four of them are known to the Corpuz family since they were just neighbors in Labangan town.

Ecaldre said that investigation further revealed that the kidnappers were able to collect closed to P500,000 in several installments from the Corpuz family since the time the victim was kidnapped.

The suspects are detained at the police provincial headquarters in this city as appropriated criminal charges are being readied against them, Ecaldre said. (PNA)
PDS/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION/UTB

The arrival of joint government operatives From their

operations against the kidnappers.(Photo by Jong Cadion)