Gunmen abduct 2 US citizens, Filipino relative in Zamboanga
MANILA, Philippines - A mother and son, both US citizens, and their Filipino relative were abducted by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in an island village in Zamboanga City, before dawn today.
Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo, city police chief, identified the victims as Gerfayeatths Lunsmann, 50; her 14-year old son Kevin Erick Lunsmann, both U.S. immigrants; and her nephew Romnick Jakaria, 19, a native of Malamawi Island, Basilan province.
The two immigrants were on vacation in Tictabon Island when they were abducted from their newly built rest house about 3 a.m Tuesday, according to the island village chairman Hadji Atang Mohammad Nur, who reported the incident to police authorities.
The village official identified the two immigrants through their passports, who have been staying in the area since they arrived for their vacation.
Nur told a local radio that the woman left the country since 9 years old after she was adopted.
The victim's nephew arrived in Tictabon Island Monday and had an overnight stay before they were abducted.
De Ocampo said a pursuit and search operation has been ongoing to track down the location of the kidnappers.
About 14 fully armed gunmen on board two motorized pumpboats swooped down on the victims' rest house and cornered all the unarmed bodyguards of the victims, said Chief Inspector Nonito Asday, commander of the Sacol Island police station.
Search around the island yielded negative result, Asday said, adding there was information that the suspects sped towards the direction of Basilan, a known bailiwick of the notorious Abu Sayyaf group.
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