Filipino gunmen on Sunday kidnapped another Chinese-Filipino woman only hours after a Chinese national was freed by his captors in the southern Philippines, local officials said Monday.

Muslimin Sema, mayor of Cotabato city, told Xinhua by phone that the victim, Leonarda Tan, was on her way home on board a public vehicle when five armed men snatched her away at around 6: 30 p.m. on Sunday (1030 GMT).

Tan, half sister of wealthy Chinese-Filipino trader Manuel Tan who runs a hotel and several establishments in the city, was brought by her captors in the remote village of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province.

"Five men disguised as passengers ordered the driver to proceed to a remote village in Datu Odin Sinsuat town. After reaching the Datu Ping Guiaman, the men disembarked from the vehicle along with the victim and left the driver," Sema said.

The driver, who is under investigation, went back to the city and reported to the police about the abduction, he added.

Sema said the victim is also a relative of Chinese-Filipino hotelier Wilson Tan who was kidnapped on February 18 from this city along with his daughter Jennifer. They were freed four days later after a large sum of ransom was paid.

The fresh kidnapping incident happened less than 12-hours after local kidnappers freed a Chinese national days after her abduction in nearby North Cotabato city.

The victim, a 24-year-old Chinese citizen from China's southeastern province of Fujian, was kidnapped on May 27 near the small department store run by her brother-in-law in Kabacan city. She was released by her captors on May 31.

(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2009)