Report: Pinay abducted in Sabah threatened with beheading

From GMA News (Jun 1): Report: Pinay abducted in Sabah threatened with beheading

Marcelita Dayawan, the Filipina resort worker abducted from a floating resort in Sabah April 2, was threatened with beheading if ransom was not paid for a Chinese tourist kidnapped along with her, a Malaysian news site reported Sunday.

A report on Malaysia's The Star Online said Dayawan, 40 was "constantly threatened" if the family of Chinese tourist Gao Huayun did not pay ransom for both of them "within 20 days."

However, the two women were not harmed and had daily meals of rice and fish. They were served vegetables once.

"Both the women, who often cried during captivity, had never thought they would be released one day and were thankful for their freedom," the report said.

Dayawan and Gao spent 58 days in captivity in Jolo where they were guarded by at least 40 gunmen, the report indicated.

"The heavily armed Abu Sayyaf men, ranging from teenagers to men in their 40s, kept a close watch on the hostages in the forested area within a village in Jolo," the report said.

The report also said the two were abducted by a kidnap-for-ransom group based in Tawi-Tawi. The group then turned them over to a group with ties to the Abu Sayyaf.

Both women regained their freedom Friday and were brought to Sabah, though authorities are still checking Dayawan's travel documents.

'Negotiations'

The report said mediators secured the release of the two after "weeks" of negotiations.

They were then brought from Jolo to Sandakan and then to Kota Kinabalu where they were debriefed. Both left for Kuala Lumpur Saturday.

But while Gao flew back to Shanghai, police checked Dayawan's travel documentation before sending her back to the Philippines.

Third woman?

The Star Online report also said there was a third woman with the two captives, but authorities are not sure if she was a hostage or part of the group.

Meanwhile, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said police had released Dayawan's family members after questioning.

But he said they were still checking if Dayawan was linked to the kidnapping.

Another captive

Sabah authorities are working for the release of another Chinese, Yong Zai Lin, 34, who armed men abducted from the Wonder Terrace Fish Farm in Lahad Datu on May 9.

The Star Online report quoted sources as saying "another" Abu Sayyaf group is holding Yong.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/363629/news/regions/report-pinay-abducted-in-sabah-threatened-with-beheading