kidnapping

MANILA, Philippines - Kidnappers of a 21-year-old college student in Jolo, Sulu gave the parents of the victim 5 days to pay P3 million in ransom for the hostage's release.

Kadil Estino, spokesperson of the Sulu Multi-Agency Coordinating Body, said kidnappers of Kenn Klifford Lao have already lowered the ransom demand from P5 million to P3 million.

Estino said the group that abducted Lao is the same group that forcibly took and beheaded a teacher from Kanague Elementary School in Patikul last year.

"They are young. Mga adik ang mga ito. They are Abu Sayyaf, but lost command of the Abu Sayyaf," the spokesperson said.

Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Western Mindanao Commander, said the Lao family still has a problem in meeting the ransom demand.

Lao was abducted last Thursday after last being seen in the school grounds of Notre Dame College of Jolo.  He went missing shortly after leaving the school campus supposedly to meet a textmate.

Estino said the victim and his kidnappers were last sighted in Barangay Tanum in Patikul town.

Authorities said that while the Lao family is refusing to cooperate with them, they are already conducting intelligence operation to monitor the location of the victim and his captors.

Negotiations with the kidnappers are reportedly being done by the family.
 source: abs-cbnnews.com