State college official kidnapped in Basilan

At least five unidentified armed men kidnapped the vice president of a state college in Isabela City, Basilan province in southern Philippines Thursday night, according to local police. Orlando Fajardo, an engineer and the vice president for academic affairs of Basilan State College, was seized in Brgy. Sumagdang in Isabela City at around 7:15 p.m., according to Isabela police chief Police Supt. Albert Larubis. Fajardo was on his way home on a van from the church along with his wife and a house boarder when the motorcycle-riding suspects blocked them, the police chief said. The suspects brandished long firearms and got away using the victim’s van, he added. Larubis refused to speculate as to which group may be behind the kidnapping or its possible motives. The incident came a day after suspected Abu Sayyaf members beheaded one of the three factory workers kidnapped last month, also in Basilan. In a text message sent to GMANews.TV, Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said pursuit operations are ongoing in the mangrove areas of the barangay where the get-away vehicle was found abandoned. – Jerrie M. Abella, with report from Aie Balagtas See, JV/GMANews.TV