Kidnapped Roro 9 Tugboat Chief Engineer Rescued

By Jong Cadion

ZAMBOANGA CITY (March 29, 2017) - Four days of unrelenting, intensive, and extensive search-rescue-recovery operations by Joint Task Force Basilan aided by intelligence and civil-military cooperation with local government and police pressured the terrorist Abu Sayaff Group to release their kidnap victim Laurencio Tiro, military official said.

Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) Information Officer Cpt Jo-Ann D. Petinglay disclosed that Tiro, Chief Engineer of Supershuttle Roro 9 Tugboat, was rescued and recovered by the shoreline of SitioSasa, BrgyBasakan, Hadji Mohammad Ajul (HMA), Basilan 10:30PM Monday (March 27) by elite Army unit, 4^th Special Forces Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Bacala, and Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team of Basilan.

Cpt. Petinglay said Tiro was kidnapped along with Aurelio Agac-ac the Boat Captain of Super Shuttle T/B 1 under the Asian Marine Transport from their vessel last 23 March 2017 at the seawaters off Sibago Island, Basilan by a group of armed men suspected to be belonging to the ASG/kidnap-for-ransom group.

“Terrorism and violent extremism, including kidnapping for ransom and other capital crimes have no place in our civilized society,” says Major General Carlito G Galvez Jr, the Commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

“These menaces will never be able to thrive in Basilan where the military, the police, local government executives, and the communities are united and firm with our common resolve to deny sanctuary or support to misfits and terrorist groups like the ASG.”

“The recent case of rescue and recovery of Mr. Agac-ac and Mr. Tiro from the clutches of the terrorist ASG is the success of a military-political-social approach in thwarting violent extremism and criminality from establishing foot holds in our communities.”

“In the end, this will be for the safety and security of our children, our families, our communities, and the Filipino society at large.”

“Let us keep a united front to shield our localities from criminals and fight back by cooperating with your security forces in unmasking the terrorists and leading your AFP into the terrorist lairs to crush their breeding grounds.”, Mgen. Galvez added.

Cpt. Petinglay added that upon his rescue, Engineer Tiro, was immediately escorted to the headquarters of 19SFC in BrgyDancalan, Lamitan City where a medical team was already waiting. He was then brought at Hqs Western Mindanao at 6:30 in the morning yesterday.

He is undergoing thorough medical checkup at Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City and will be transported back to his family in the afternoon.