PAGADIAN CITY – The missing Canadian from Davao del Sur, whom authorities first thought to have staged a "kidnap-me" operation to raise money, turned out to be indeed in the hands of a kidnap gang based in Central Mindanao.

The INQUIRER managed to contact the keepers of Pierre Belanger, a resident of Hagonoy town, through a mobile phone number on Wednesday.

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Ali Ibrahim and Ali Abubakar, who introduced themselves as leaders of the group that snatched Belanger, 55, on Nov. 3 in Digos City, also in Davao del Sur, said they were demanding 20 million pesos from Belanger's family.

Belanger is married to a Filipina. His brother, Richard, works as comptroller at the Catholic-ran Cor Jesu College in Digos.

Ibrahim confirmed that the ransom demand has been relayed to Belanger's family and that based on their conversation, they were willing to raise the money.

The kidnappers also let the Canadian talk with the INQUIRER.

"I really want to go home, please help," the voice who introduced himself as Belanger said.

The voice said he was fine but that what he really wanted was to go home to Canada.

"Please tell my family in Davao that I am okay, but I want to go home," the supposed Belanger said.

He also said that his captors have treated him well.

"They give me good food, but I don't know what they (kidnapper) want," he said.

Earlier, Supt. Guillermo Lara, Davao del Sur police chief, said Belanger's disappearance could be a case of a "kidnap me" operation.

Lara also said the Canadian national was a pauper and was not capable of raising ransom money.

Belanger was last seen with another foreigner, identified as Robert Wood, heading for Digos on Nov. 3.

The following day, his neighbors in Barangay Balutakay, Hagonoy, saw Wood along with Alfredo Niebres Jr., coming in and out of the Canadian's house.

"They appeared to be very busy," a neighbor told police investigators.

Niebres was the one who told police on Nov. 7 that Belanger was snatched by the Abu Sayyaf.

Niebres was still being investigated by police when an unidentified gunman shot him, along with three others, on the night of Nov. 25.