DAVAO CITY -- A shipping executive, who was abducted last week, fled to Canada along with his family after reportedly paying a P20 million ransom to his kidnappers, a city mayor confirmed Monday.
"Milayas na siya uban ang iyang pamilya kay nahadlok. Pero kompirmado nga dunay nahitabo nga kidnapping (He and his family left because of fear, but it is confirmed that a kidnapping took place)," Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said during a press briefing at the City Hall Tuesday.
Duterte first confirmed the news in his television program “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” on Sunday, but did not give any details.
Gimenez is reportedly the manager of Solid Shipping Lines in Davao City.
Gimenez’s wife gave the money to the kidnappers after receiving a call. The incident was not reported to the authorities, the mayor said.
Reports said that right after Gimenez’s release, his children were withdrawn from school, Duterte added.
He said the victim was abducted by armed men at his residence in an exclusive village in the city and was released two days after.
“Pag-abot nila sa balay, gipasakay dayon ang magtiayon sa mga kidnappers ug gibuhian ang asawa didto sa Shell Gasoline Station sa Ma-a Diversion Road. Pagsunod adlaw, gibuhian ang bana (When they arrived home, they were forced into the kidnappers' vehicles but the wife was released at the Shell Gasoline Station along the Diversion Road in Ma-a. The husband was released the following day)," he said.
The mayor said he has no idea as to how much the victim's family paid as ransom to the kidnappers but reports said the family paid P20 million.
Duterte said he has an idea as to which group is responsible for the abduction. He, however, refused to name the ones responsible for the incident, saying the police have the position to disclose such information.
"Ang police maoy makasulti, pero ako naay theory (Police is conducting investigations, but I have my own theory)," he said.
Police Regional Director Pedro Tango, however, said the incident was not reported to the Davao police.
"There is no report of such kidnapping that reached us," Tango said Sunday afternoon.
Several businessmen expressed fears that the kidnapping in this city might become more prevalent as the elections draw near.
A businesswoman who owns a food chain franchise in the city said she felt safer then when Duterte actually took part in police matters.
But Duterte reiterated Tuesday that he has already withdrawn from his supervision over the Davao City Police Office, thus he is not keen on involving himself with police matters.
The mayor let go of his control of the police last year after he was accused of ordering extrajudicial killings, bringing a series of investigations by the Commission on Human Rights. (Carlo P. Mallo and Alger Dura/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)