PAGADIAN CITY – The British Embassy in Manila has expressed concern Monday over the safety of a British citizen who was abducted along with his Filipina wife in the southern town of Tukuran, about 19 kilometers from here.
Police said Allan Arthur Hyrons, 70, and Welma Paglinawan Hyrons were seized by 6 armed men on the night of October 4 shortly after the couple arrived at their resort in Alindahaw village.
The embassy appealed to the Philippine media to “possibly refrain from posting or take down any news coverage related to this as it could possibly jeopardise the welfare of those involved.”
Police have released a set of pictures of 2 men tagged as “persons of interest” in the abduction of the couple. “A facial composite of one of the persons of interest in the Hyrons abduction has been released along with the CCTV footage of another person of interest,” said Major Helen Galvez, a regional police spokeswoman.
The abductors dragged away the victims to the sea where a motorized boat was waiting and then escaped under cover of darkness, according to Galvez.
She said two of the suspects even rented a cottage and waited for the victims. “We are exhausting all resources, mobilizing all forces and coordinating with the military counterpart to include the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to help in rescue operation,” she said.
A caretaker at the resort has confirmed that two of the suspects rented a cottage. Aside from the resort, the couple also owns the Hyrons College in the town. Provincial Governor Victor Yu pledged to give P1 million reward to anyone who could point the exact location of the abductors.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the abduction of the Hyrons, but this occurred during an extended martial law in the region where security forces are battling Muslim extremist groups and communist rebels. (Zamboanga Post)
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