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Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Kidnap gang regrouping in Sarangani: mayor
By Merlyn F. Velarde
GENERAL SANTOS -- A big-time kidnap-for-ransom group is reportedly regrouping somewhere in Sarangani, Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. said Tuesday.
Acharon made the revelation to deny reports that the dreaded kidnap gang Pentagon was planning to stage kidnapping activities in the city.
"No, not an attack. The report that I received is that they are planning to regroup somewhere in Sarangani province," said the General Santos mayor.
Speculations that the Pentagon was planning kidnapping activities in the city surfaced after Army troopers headed by Col. Agustin Dema-ala of the 301st Infantry Brigade encountered the group of Alonto Tahir in Sultan sa Barungis in Maguindanao over the weekend.
Five alleged kidnappers reportedly died in the encounter.
A soldier was also killed and at least five others were wounded in the incident.
Dema-ala reportedly received intelligence reports that Tahir was set to launch criminal activities in the city and in nearby Polomolok town of South Cotabato.
Tahir, along with 68 other detainees, escaped from the General Santos City Rehabilitation Center after suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front launched a daring dawn attack at the jail in November 2000.
Police had tagged Tahir as the brains in the kidnapping of the Cabalida brothers more than two years ago.
But Senior Supt. Jeorge Aquisap, acting city police chief, said the armed men that clashed with the troops of Dema-ala were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Aquisap said MILF rebels tried to block the surrender of a certain Kumander Jack, one of the alleged leaders of the Pentagon gang, and clashed with government soldiers who were there to fetch him.
"It was not the Pentagon group that clashed with the military because Kumander Jack and his men were poised to surrender to the authorities," claimed Aquisap.
He further said the MILF prevented Kumander Jack from surrendering to authorities.
"The MILF will allow them to surrender but they cannot bring with them their firearms including their rocket propelled grenades," said Aquisap.
Army troopers under the 301st IB are still conducting clearing operations in the hope of overrunning the temporary camp of Kumander Jack in Sitio Lagao, Barangay Nanggapanin in Sultan sa Barungis. Sun.Star General Santos |
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