ZAMBOANGA CITY – Armed men believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) kidnapped a six-year-old boy in front of an elementary school in Patikul, Sulu, shortly before noon Thursday.
Police in Sulu identified the boy as Santino Espino, 6, a Grade 1 pupil of Don Jose Godinez Elementary School located in Barangay Latih, Patikul.
The report said four armed men appeared from behind and took the boy to their service vehicle and sped off towards Barangay Latih in the same town.
The incident took place at about 11:15 a.m.while the boy and his mother were about to leave the school for a noon break.
Police and military authorities immediately conducted hot pursuit operations to recover the boy from the suspects.
According to the police, the suspects have not contacted yet the family of the boy to relay their demand for the safe release of the young Espino. (Nonoy E. Lacson)
