Curfew implemented in Zambo Sur town as protection against kidnapping

Curfew implemented in Zambo Sur town as protection against kidnapping

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, (April 14) –- The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Pitogo Municipality had imposed curfew thru the Executive Order (EO) for the protection of the people against the lawless elements.

Mayor Richard Garban said that he had signed the EO No. 6 series 2015 Monday for the implementation of curfew effective April 13, 2015 from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. for 60 days or more depend on the assessment of the newly activated municipal Crisis Management Committee (CMC).

The curfew was the recommendation of the CMC to address the kidnapping of a child and a teenager.

Mayor Garban said the imposition of curfew is badly needed and will ensure the security and safety of the residents after there was a threats from the lawless elements to launch an attack to rescue the two recently arrested suspects involved in the kidnapping incident.   

Still in the hands of the kidnappers are Ace Jay Garban, three, and a bakery worker, Ledegie Tomarong, 17.

Garban and his younger sister, Zynielle Jay, two, and Tomarong, were seized by 10 gunmen during a shootout last March 31 at the fish port in Barangay Poblacion, Pitogo.

The shootout ensued as policemen pursued the gunmen, who failed to seize their kidnapping target, businesswoman Chzarenia Kapa Sajulga, who owns a bakery in in Barangay Poblacion and the employer of Tomarong.

The gunmen were able to escape as they grabbed the three children, who were at the fish port, and made them as human shields that prevented the policemen from further pursuing them.

The gunmen killed Zynielle Jay, whose body was fished out from sea by fishermen on April 3 near the shore of this town.

The Garban children are the grandchildren of the vice mayor Zosimo Garban of said municipality.

Municipality of Pitogo will have its charter day on July 16, 2015 reminisce its humble beginning and creation of the municipality of Pitogo. The word Pitogo was popularly called by the early Subanen "Sibahong," a native plant that densely flourish along the shores. On the coming of the Visayan settlers in the early 50's the nearby site was occupied which they later organized into Sitio "Pitogo because of the abundance of ornamental plants in the area. Pitogo became part of the political jurisdiction of the municipality of Dimataling prior to its creation into an independent entity. It was created under R.A. 6490, which was passed by the 7th congress of the Philippines during the 3rd session on April 20, 1972. On July, 1978, the municipality of Pitogo started to operate as a separate entity with the first appointed Municipal official headed by the Mayor, Hon. Doroteo F. Garban,