by Office of Publication & Information
PRESS RELEASE
Office of Publication & Information (OPI)
MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City
Tel: (063) 2228769; Fax: (063) 2214056
Two MSU-IIT students who were abducted Saturday night (June 4, 2016) remain in captivity while their four companions, according to unverified reports, were allegedly released at dawn Monday, June 6.
Authorities identified the remaining students as Berzon Paeste (4th year AB History) from Zamboanga del Sur and Cid Rick Jamias (5th year BS Electronics and Communication) from Tacurong City.
Those allegedly released (and currently in hiding) were identified as Juhary Gubat, 1st year General Education student; Hannah Yurong (a former IIT student who dropped out); Kevin Limpin and Eloisa Lacson, non-IIT students.
Paeste and Jamias were allegedly hanging out with Gubat, Limpin, Yurong, and Lacson at the Caltex Gas Station in Tibanga, this city on the evening of June 4, 2016.
Upon learning of the alleged disappearance and possible abduction of the group, the MSU-IIT Office of Publication & Information (OPI) alerted the MSU-IIT Security Chief Eduardito “Ditto” Maruhom and Atty. Alex Cabornay, Head Agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City, both members of the Iligan City Citizens Crime Watch.
In turn, Maruhom alerted the AFP 2nd Mechanized Brigade Intelligence Group, the PNP and the NBI Iligan office about the alleged disappearance of the students.
In Maruhom’s investigation, the group of students left the Caltex Gas Station premises late Saturday evening in a white vehicle with plate no. KGJ 661. The vehicle was allegedly driven by a man described only as the cousin of Gubat. The group drove westward, towards the next town (Linamon, Lanao del Norte) but reportedly stopped at a gas station where the driver allegedly got off to make a call. A few minutes after they continued on the road, and upon reaching Linamon, their vehicle was stopped by armed men.
The students were said to have been blindfolded and brought to an unknown, uphill and muddy area where they were separately interviewed about their parents’ jobs. Later, on Monday dawn, unverified reports said four were released: Gubat, Limpin, Yurong, and Lacson. All are said to be in hiding for fear of their lives.
The NBI and PNP and the AFP are now following various leads for the safe return of the MSU-IIT students. Chancellor Sukarno D. Tanggol for his part said the matter is still being investigated and the MSU-IIT is “doing its best for the safety of the kids.”
Official Release by the MSU-IIT Office of Publication & Information (OPI)
Topics : crime