Manila - Seven employees of the environment department were kidnapped Wednesday in the southern Philippines, a regional police chief said. The victims were manning an environment checkpoint in a forest area in Butuan City, 810 kilometres south of Manila, when seven armed men captured them before dawn, according to Chief Superintendent Lino Calingasan.
He said the pickup truck used by the employees was also seized by the suspects.
Calingasan said one of the kidnappers telephoned Jimmy Acebo, the supervisor of the kidnapped employees, and said one victim would be released Thursday to bring a list of demands.
"Acebo was allowed to talk to one of the victims, Emiliano Gatillo Junior, who confirmed their safety," Calingasan said.
He added that a local crisis committee formed to deal with the incident agreed to wait for the release of one of the victims before deciding on what action to take.
Communist guerrillas, who have been fighting the government since the late 1960s, were known to operate in the general area.
