ZAMBOANGA CITY—Kidnappers who seized a businessman last month freed their captive Monday night in this city.

The victim, Inocente Bautista, 58, was freed 13 days after he was seized by a group of gunmen from his office on Cabato Road, barangay Tetuan, this city.

Senior Supt. Lurimer Detran, officer in charge of the Zamboanga City police force, disclosed that Bautista was released by his captors around 11:30 p.m. Monday on the coast of barangay Manicahan, east of this city.

Detran said that Bautista, the manager of Western Mindanao Development Corp. (Wesmidco), immediately contacted his brother to pick him up in the area when the kidnappers were gone.

Wesmidco is the distributor of Mead Johnson and Zafi products in this city and in nearby places.

Upon receiving the call, Bautista’s brother, who was not identified, coordinated with the local police and proceeded to the coast of Manicahan and retrieved the freed victim.

Detran did not say if ransom was paid.

There were earlier reports that the kidnappers, led by Reynante Bacalso, have demanded a ransom of P5 million to P10 million.

Bautista and his family didn’t issue a statement.

Police said four to five kidnappers seized Bautista shortly after 6 p.m. on May 27 from his office on Cabato Road, barangay Tetuan.

The kidnappers’ getaway vehicle, which is owned by the victim, was recovered in the coastal barangay of Mercedes, east of this city.

The kidnappers hid Bautista in the hinterlands of Maluso, Basilan, which is accessible by sea from the eastern coast of this city.

Detran said charges of kidnapping with serious illegal detention were filed against Bacalso and his cohorts.

Bacalso has a pending warrant of arrest for frustrated murder that was allegedly committed in 2002 in barangay Divisoria east of this city, Detran said.

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