'Covert' hunt for Lim kidnappers widen
Covert police operations have been extended to three Iloilo towns with government agents bent on getting all six male suspects of kidnapped victim William Lim.
This, as intelligence operatives were reportedly given first-hand information on the identities of the culprits, one of whom tagged as the group's 'mastermind' a known police character and barangay official.
In a report, The News Today (TNT) gathered from sources that positive identification was made on all six suspects however it was not clear whether said identification was made by the victim himself or from one of the witnesses rounded up since last week's release of Lim.
The kidnapped businessman was first blindfolded and head wrapped by a sack however in the course of his detention was freed from said covers.
Government agents on the Lim case worked on limited information however the break came days after his release.
If presented to the victim, a TNT intelligence source said positive identification will be made of Lim's captors.
Such, as the family insists that no ransom was made in fact, family members remain puzzled as to why no pay-off was pursued with the Lim elders reportedly set to give-in to the kidnapper's demand. At least P1 million was allegedly readied on the assigned pay-off day.
Lim was manhandled particularly at that time his captors wanted to know the value of his personal belongings. Twice, a source said, he was slapped for not giving a satisfactory answer on how much his watch was supposed to worth.
To recall, family counsel lawyer Noel Amane said in a TNT interview that his client and other family members are undergoing medical check for the trauma the clan suffered. And there really was no ransom paid, he maintained, while saying that for the moment, the kidnapped businessman finds it difficult to cooperate with police probers.
The kidnapping as reported took place in the evening of August 29th along the darkened alley of Quezon-Ledesma Streets minutes after Lim emerged from a fitness gym.
No confirmation was made by city police until the declaration made by Mayor Jerry Treñas over a radio interview that he was released late Saturday evening.
To date, police visibility has been ordered even as members of the intelligence community make the 'offensives' to get the suspects.
Such as talks of "kidnap me" continue to abound and hound the probers.