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Thursday, March 13, 2008
North Cotabato cops alerted on kidnap attempts
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- North Cotabato authorities raised the alert level in the province after a series of kidnapping attempts were reported in the past weeks.
The police provincial office issued an instruction to all police units in the province to be on high alert, while the Provincial Government ordered for more police and military checkpoints.
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The Cotabato Rapid Response Group, composed of elite police personnel, was also ordered to be on watch. The alert level was raised even down to the barangay level, reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed.
Barangay officials all over North Cotabato were also told to beef up their security by deploying their volunteers in schools within their areas of responsibility.
On March 6, occupants of a white van allegedly tried to snatch three schoolchildren of the Marciano Mancera Memorial Elementary School in Barangay Balindog in Kidapawan City.
Four days after or on March 10, a seven-year-old girl identified only as "Bai" told reporters that a lady, wearing white hospital uniform, alighted from the van and tried to abduct her while she was waiting for her uncle outside Marbel Elementary School in Barangay Marbel, Matalam town around 10:30 a.m. Monday.
The series of attempted kidnappings caused panic among parents who readily fetched their kids from school upon hearing of the second incident last Monday. Authorities remain clueless as to the identity of the suspects and their motive.
Kidnappings of schoolchildren were also reported in Luzon and other parts of the country. Text messages that circulated in the past days said organs of the kidnapped children would allegedly be sold to rich people in need of human organs. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (March 13, 2008 issue)
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