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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Malacanang stressed the government's no-ransom policy for kidnapped victims following reports that kidnappers reportedly demanded millions of U.S. dollars for the release of the two Americans and a Filipino who were snatched from a resort on the island of Tictabon, Zamboanga City last July 12.
“Ang policy po ng gobyerno diyan is we don't pay ransom and it is something that the local crisis committee knows,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a regular news briefing held at Malacanang on Monday on the reported kidnapping incident.
Valte said Malacanang is closely monitoring the progress of rescue efforts being undertaken by authorities to secure the safe release of the captives -- naturalized American Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, her son Kevin, 14, and nephew Romnick Jakaria, 19.
"The authorities are on top of the situation. Hopefully, magiging maganda po ang outcome nitong situation na ito at wala pong masasaktan,” Valte said.
Reports said Lunsmann arrived in the country recently to retrace her roots. She was adopted by an American couple when she was still a nine-year-old girl in Pangapuyan Island.
A group of armed men snatched Gerfa, along with Kevin and Romnick, while at the beach house last July 12. They were forced at gunpoint to board awaiting boats. The boats then sped toward the island of Basilan, a stronghold of the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf.
The Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and Army have joined the police in the search and rescue operations.
