Businesswoman kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A 38year-old owner of a marine products buying station was kidnapped by seven armed men posing as policemen in Malangas town in Zamboanga Sibugay province Tuesday, according to the police.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director for Zamboanga peninsula (PRO-9) Chief Supt Billy Beltran identified the victim as Laarni Bandi, 38, married and a resident of Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Beltran said Bandi was forcibly abducted by seven armed men about 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, while she was at Purok Maabiabihon, Poblacion, Malangas, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Witnesses said Bandi was taken by the men, who were armed with with M16 Armalite and M14 rifles, and a shotgun.

They added that five of the suspects were wearing PNP uniforms, while another was in a PNP Patrol shirt.

Beltran said Bandi was at the boarding house owned by Mrs. Ad- DAVAO CITY – Five growers of Robusta and Arabica coffee from Mindanao will represent the country in a three-day Specialty Coffee Expo 2018 slated for April 19 to 22 in Seattle, Washington State. Thelonious Trimmell, chief of party for the Mindanao Productivity in Agricultural Commerce and Trade (MinPACT), said in an interview that the Philippines will be allotted a booth for the first time during the three-day expo to showcase the best of the Philippine specialty coffee. Representatives from the Philippines include four Arabica coffee growers such as Davao del Sur’s Marivic Dubria, manager of elaida Bayno located at Purok Maabiabihon, Poblacion, Malangas when the armed men arrived and forcibly abducted her.

The suspects took Bandi to a waiting yellow motorized pump boat and sped towards Muyong Island, Malangas, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Beltran said elements of Sibugay Mobile Force Company, 44th Infantry Battalion 9, Phil Army, Maritime, Coast Guard, Navy and Regional Mobile Force Company 9, are now conducting pursuit operations to rescue the businesswoman. the Balutakay Coffee Farmers Farmers Association (BACOFA), Rio Besto, chairman of Miarayon-Lapok-Lirongan-Tinaytayan Tribal Association (MILALITRA), Corazon Meredes Lauderes, manager of Imdalsa Coffee from Bukidnon; and Robusta coffee growers, consisting of South Cotabato’s Fred Fredeluces, owner of Green Tropics, and Bukidnon’s Leonila Secadron, manager of Bayanihan Millenium and producer of Kape Napalit.

“They’ve already been assessed, graded and now we get to share them with the other international buyers to potentially attract them to come to the Philippines,” Trimmell said.

The Agricultural Cooperative Development International-Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI-VOCA) will sponsor those farmers for their trip to the US, Trimmell said.