Suspect in Samal kidnapping turned over to CIDG

ABDUCTION ON SAMAL ISLAND Armed men abducted Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, with Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor (inset photos), Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad on the Island Garden City of Samal, just off Davao City, on Monday night. Photo taken on Sept. 19 shows the Norwegian shipbuilder and caretaker of Oceanview Marina posing beside his newly finished catamaran twin-hull yacht at Barangay Camudmud on Samal Island. INSET PHOTOS COURTESY OF AFP EASTERN MINDANAO COMMAND/FACEBOOK

The suspect in the Samal abduction who, according to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was the man seen in the security camera footage during the September 21 kidnapping of three foreigners and a Filipino woman, is now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Bandajar Dangin Adona alias “Banon,” an alleged member of the “Venacio Malaydan–Jikiri Gulam Cristobal Kidnapping Group,” and his cohort were arrested in Tibungco, Davao City on Sunday evening, said the chief of the Philippine National Police’s CIDG Chief Superintendent Victor Deona on Wednesday.

On Monday, Duterte confirmed the arrest of the suspect behind the kidnapping of Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall; Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, manager of the Holiday Oceanview marina; and Filipino Marites Flor.

READ: Duterte: Suspect in Samal kidnapping nabbed

He identified the suspect as “Pandajar Adona” but declined to give further details.

But police said Adona was nabbed for a standing arrest warrants for kidnapping, serious illegal detention and murder. Adona and Lugnasin were accused of abducting three individuals in Pantukan, Compostela Valley province in May.

“They were arrested because of existing warrants of arrest but all information, we take in as part of the investigation to come up with an airtight case,” said PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo in a press briefing.

Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin, CIDG spokesperson, said in a separate interview that the CIDG could not confirm yet whether Adona was among the suspects in the abduction of foreigners as it was still establishing the connection between Adona and the kidnappers in Samal.

READ: Don’t hurt Samal hostages, Duterte asks abductors

Manhunt teams from CIDG Eastern Mindanao and Davao City arrested Adona and Lugnasin for illegally possessing a caliber .38 revolver, ammunition, and a fragmentation grenade.

Senior Superintendent Joel Pernito, CIDG regional chief, said Bandajar is said to be one of the suspects in kidnapping of Amil Donaire Hipolan and two others in May at Barangay (village) Kingking in Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province.

Duterte had said in earlier reports that Ridsdel, Hall, Sekkingstad and Flor have been brought to Sulu by around 11 kidnappers.

The abductors were believed to be linked with the Abu Sayyaf terror group or a separate bandit group. IDL