Islamic Bank coordinator still missing

P5M of IDB Sulu scholars’ allowances allegedly deposited in his account

(Published in Zamboanga Today on January 26, 2008.)


The whereabouts of an engineer who has been missing since last year remains unknown, as police intelligence operatives in Sulu and the region said that he was last seen in Sulu on October 30, 2007.

Jolo Police Station chief Sr. Inspector Usman Pingay said that police authorities have long been searching for the whereabouts of Engineer Morced Tagitis, a native of Talagan, Davao City, a Balik-Islam, and allegedly connected with the Islamic Development Bank, who was last seen at an inn in Jolo.

Tagitis is the designated coordinator of IDB’s Islamic scholarships and a senior honorary student-councilor whose function, among others, is to conduct seminars for the Islamic scholars in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

In a sworn statement of Mohammad Abdulnazeir Matli, married, and an employee of the University of the Philippines Islamic Studies and concurrently the honorary student-counselor of Islamic Development Bank Scholarship Program in the Philippines, and resident of Kasalamatan Village, Patikul, Sulu, he said that, the Office of Muslim Affairs in Manila had reported that “there were more or less 5 million pesos deposited and entrusted to the bank account of Engr. Morced Tagitis by the Central Office of the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was intended for the scholarship allowances.”

Matli also stated that said “Engr. Morced Tagitis have (sic) reportedly taken and carried away the deposited the mentioned IDB scholar funds who entrusted to his own personal account.”

Tagitis’ wife (name not known) however in December went to Jolo inquiring of the whereabouts of her husband who accordingly has not gone home to Davao since. She also reported that her husband had called, and said he was kidnapped by armed elements. Sulu police, however, have no reports on Tagitis’ abduction by any lawless group, and no testimony from local folks or any other eyewitness can support her and Tagitis’ claims.

As of press time, bank authorities would not confirm nor deny to the press the existence of said account, in view of the existing Bank Secrecy Act.

The police intelligence report however reveals that on October 28, 2007, Tagitis and Matli held a seminar for Islamic scholars at the Ateneo De Zamboanga University. At five o’clock two days later, Tagitis with several students that participated in said seminar arrived in Jolo port aboard the inter-island commercial vessel M/V Bounty Cruise. From Jolo wharf, Tagitis separated ways with the student-participants, and sought the assistance of student Arsimin Kunnong, and IDB-Philippines scholar, to accompany him to SSC Hostel located at Capitol Road, Patikul, Sulu.

However, upon having been informed that the rooms were fully booked, the two proceed to ASY Pension House located at Kakuyagan Village, in the same town. Said pension house confirmed that the engineer did check in on October 30, 2007.

On the same day, Tagitis requested the student-scholar Kunnong to go to the Jolo Port Area, particularly at the office of Weesam Express, to purchase Tagitis’ ticket for Zamboanga City with October 31 as departure date.

At about one o’clock in the afternoon of same day, Kunnong returned to the pension house bringing with him the purchased ticket but was informed by inn authorities at the information counter that Tagitis left the pension house at 10 in the morning and never returned back to his room.

At 4 in the afternoon, Kunnong and other scholars went to Prof. Matli’s residence and informed him of the status of the disappearance of Tagitis. Matli said they were alarmed that something has happened to the engineer, and thus immediately reported the matter to the Chief of Police of Jolo Police Station.

As of press time of January 24, 2008, Tagitis’ whereabouts are unknown. Zamboanga Today has requested from the Jolo Police Station for a photo of Engr. Morced Tagitis, and such will be published as soon as it is received.

Police authorities however request that family members and relatives and friends who might have knowledge of his location from October 30 in the morning to this date are requested to contact the Zamboanga City Police Station or any police station that may direct the information to the Jolo Police Station.

“Added information would be vital as it would help support the allegations of the couple, the scholars, and the professor,” Sr. Police Inspector Pingay said. (Frencie L. Carreon)