Gunmen believed to be New People’s Army guerrillas attacked a pearl farm in northern Palawan early Monday morning, seizing at least six hostages, a police officer said.
Residents of Taytay town said the gunmen, whose numbers were not determined, ransacked the Jewelmer (not Salvamar as first reported by the Western Command) Pearl Farm managed by Jacques Branelic on Cagdanao Island, Barangay Pampang.
Pearl farm personnel said the leader of the gunmen introduced himself as "Ka Arnel."
Taytay chief of police, Chief Inspector Jeffrey Mendiola, confirmed that the attackers took hostage security guards Edgardo Ramos, Marcelo Mellado and Villamor Fernandez, and boat operators Nestor Dula, Marjun Diulon and Jovi Descartin.
The raiders, who authorities said were armed with M14 rifles and M203s, also seized eight shotguns, five radio transceivers and the company's speedboat, which they used to escape from Cagdanao towards Paly Island, also in Taytay, and later abandoned.
The hostages have been released and taken back to Cagdanao by police.
Taytay residents said the hostages were spotted by a helicopter owned by the pearl farm that was used for aerial reconnaissance.
The Taytay police and troops of Marine Battalion Landing Team 4 are pursuing the abductors.
Personnel of the pearl farm surmised the raid was probably because of the company's refusal to pay so-called "revolutionary taxes" to the rebels.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/59470/gunmen-attack-palawan-pearl-farm-seize-hostages-guns
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