Police investigators are pursuing persons of interest in the abduction of two siblings in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, an official said on Tuesday.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) told the Philippine News Agency that according to Zamboanguita police chief Capt. Andrew Anque, the family of the missing persons has provided names of certain individuals to the police.
“Right now, there is still no clear motive as to the abduction of the brothers but family members believe they were taken against their will due to business interests,” Polinar said in an interview.
Four days after the abduction, the siblings, identified only as ‘Julius’ and ‘Joan’, “still remain missing today and are believed to still be in the hands of their abductors,” he added.
A report released by the NOPPO on Monday evening said the victims are from Barangay Palinpinpinon in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
The victims were reportedly at Julius’ piggery farm in Sitio Lumang-e, Barangay Maluay in Zamboanguita at around 11 a.m. on Feb. 14 when six suspects arrived on board three motorcycles.
The suspects allegedly hog-tied 10 farm workers and forced the victims to ride with them on the motorcycles. The farm workers managed to free themselves later on.
Polinar said the witnesses told the investigators that the suspects were speaking in a different dialect.
Police stations have been alerted regarding the abduction incident, Polinar added. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
