ZAMBOANGA CITY — After the abduction of two US citizens, City Mayor Celso Lobregat opposes the idea that visitors coming to Zamboanga be advised to get security escorts from either the local Philippine National Police (PNP) or the Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ.)
It can be recalled that in the statement given by the Barangay Captain of Pangapuyan Island, Khadafi Jailani, he told reporters that he advised Gerfayeatths Lunssman (his cousin,) who was informing him of her plan to visit their hometown in Tictabon, to inform local authorities of their plan to visit Zamboanga.
But according to Police Chief Edwin de Ocampo, Gerfayeatths Lunssman (who is a US passport holder) did not heed to the advice but proceeded without even informing the Barangay Captain of Tictabon, bringing along his son who is a natural born US citizen. ?She probably thought no one would harm her for she was one of the locals,? says de Ocampo.
During the press conference yesterday, De Ocampo suggested that it would have been better if the visitors had informed the local authorities and asked for security. But the Mayor played down the idea saying ?mauubusan tayo ng police kapag tuwing merong bibisita e mag re-request ng escort.? The number of policemen is not sufficient if every visitor to the city will request for security escort, he said.
There are still question hanging. Some of which are: Where did the Abu Sayyaf get the information regarding the visit of the Lunssmans? Were they kidnapped because of their being US passport holder? If so, how did the abductors know?
