TAGUM CITY – Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy condemned the abduction of a jail warden last Tuesday evening at Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
“I strongly condemn this senseless act,” Uy said in a text message to Davao Today Wednesday.
Uy said Jose Mervin Coquilla, a jail warden of Compostela Valley provincial jail was taken by four unidentified gunmen Tuesday evening in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
Coquilla heads the Compostela Valley Provincial Rehabilitation Center in Tagum City.
As of Wednesday evening, police authorities investigating the case are still facing a blank wall as to the whereabouts of Coquilla.
Initial reports, Uy said, showed that the New People’s Army may have a hand on Coquilla’s reported abduction.
“We are still verifying the initial report and possibly by tomorrow, we will issue an update after the results of investigation,” explained Uy.
Superintendent Antonio Rivera, spokesperson of the Southern Mindanao Regional Police, told DavaoToday that Jose Mervin Coquilla was reportedly taken around 8 p.m last Tuesday, December 23, 2014 while managing his car wash business located at Barangay Sto.Nino in Panabo City.
Chief inspector Levitico Estay, provincial police spokesperson, said the Coquilla couple is about to board in their vehicle to attend the regular evening mass (Simbang Gabi) when suddenly four armed men appeared and forcibly abducted the couple.
But Coquilla’s wife, Estay said, was alighted from the vehicle.
Uy appealed to Coquilla’s abductors to release him with no conditions. (Mart D. Sambalud/davaotoday.com)
