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Italian national kidnapped in S. Philippines

Xinhua, October 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Unidentified gunmen abducted an Italian national in the south Philippine city of Dipolog, said a local security official on Thursday.

The victim, identified as Rolando del Torquin, was the owner of Ur Choice Pizza Cafe, said Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, deputy commander of Joint Task Force ZambaSulta.

The police and military said four gunmen barged into the pizza house and seized del Torquin at gunpoint Wednesday night in the village of Miputak, Zamboanga del Norte province.

Police described the abduction as "swift," saying the victim was immediately dragged into a waiting white van.

Captain Trinidad said the suspects with their captive were believed to be heading toward the Sulu area after boarding a motorized pump boat in the coastal town of Manukan.

The abduction came 17 days after alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf group took away three foreigners and a Filipino woman from a resort in Samal Island off Davao province. Endi