Basilan town vice mayor kidnapped in Zambo City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A female vice mayor of a town in Basilan province was abducted by still unidentified group of men around noon Tuesday while inside a shopping mall in this city.

Police identified the victim as Hadji Mutamad town Vice Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh, 20, who is also engaged in the jewelry business in the city.

Police investigation disclosed that the abduction was learned after the victim’s husband – Alnajil Nanoh – reported an hour later to the police that his wife had been abducted.

Investigators said that the couple went to one of the shopping malls along Purisima Street in the city's downtown area shortly after noon.

On board their vehicle minutes after leaving the mall, the vice mayor received a call form her friends asking her to return to the mall.

The vice mayor's husband told the police that while he was waiting for his wife's call, he received a text message from the kidnappers that they already have the mayor.

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Alnajil told the police that he received another text message from the kidnappers, who were using his wife's cell phone, informing him that they were waiting for the instruction of their "boss" on what they want and what they would do to the vice mayor.

He said that upon receiving the second text message, he rushed to the shopping mall but failed to find the vice mayor. He informed the police of the kidnapping an hour after the incident.

Police set up checkpoints around the city to prevent the kidnappers from leaving.

Source: philstar.com - Nation