FOUR kidnap victims from Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte have received livelihood aid from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula.
The financial aid was personally handed over to the kidnap victims by Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula director, during his visit last week in Sirawai town.
Beltran said the recipients of the livelihood assistance were Roger Jung-an, 36; Jomar Maglangit, 26; Reymond Purisima, 14; Jomar Mantangan, 25; and, the relatives of Mario Rosales, 46.
Rosales was killed in the crossfire when the troops clashed with the kidnappers on March 7 at Sitio Kabatunayan in Panabutan village.
They went to Sitio Maasum, Barangay San Nicolas, when the kidnappers led by Jamilon Wahab and Bating Lumiguis seized them.
The kidnappers abandoned the other four on March 12 in Libucon village after soldiers and policemen had been relentlessly pursuing them.
Beltran, accompanied by other police officials, also distributed school supplies to 100 pupils of Sirawai Central School and to 40 students enrolled at the Islamic School (Madrasah) in Sirawai Proper.
He also met with the military, municipal, and village officials, religious leaders, members of the Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front during his visit.
The police director encouraged those who attended the meeting to help the police in eradicating the lawless elements as they discussed about the peace and order situation in this town.
He said a company from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion was deployed to support the local police force.
Beltran also visited the nearby towns of Sibuco, Siocon and Tampilisan to oversee the security situation and talked to the police officials and personnel of the three municipalities.
He proceeded to the town of Liloy where they held a command conference that was also attended by the chiefs of police in the province. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)