The Philippine military has launched an operation to rescue
three people – two of them members of the Coast Guard – being held hostage by
the Abu Sayyaf in the restive region of Mindanao ,
officials said Saturday.
The rebel group said it would behead the hostages, Gringo
Villaruz and Rodlyn Pagaling; and village chieftain Roberto Buligao, if the
Aquino government fails to pay their ransom demand.
The rebels have reportedly demanded P10 million in exchange
for the safe release of the trio – abducted in May 4 on Aliguay
Island in Dapitan City
Marine Captain Maria Rowena Muyuela, a spokeswoman for the
Western Mindanao Command, said it has already coordinated with police
authorities to rescue the hostages.
“The Western Mindanao Command, through our Task Forces on
the ground, is in close coordination with the local police and local government
unit to expedite arrest of the perpetrators and facilitate the safe release of
the kidnap victims,” Muyuela said.
Muyuela also condemned the latest Abu Sayyaf kidnappings.
“We condemn the continuous criminal acts perpetrated by these threat groups to
innocent civilians in the provinces of Mindanao .”
“From the start, Western Mindanao Command Joint Task Forces
have exerted all efforts to assist the Philippine National Police in the law
enforcement operations matter in the same way that we are providing support to
the local government units. The city government of Dapitan had already convened
the City Crisis Management Committee to look into the incidents,” she said.
A video posted on Facebook showed the hostages – their eyes
covered with handkerchief and hands tied behind their back – begging to the
Aquino government to help them, saying their captors have threatened to
decapitate all of them if their demands were not met.
The Coast Guard has confirmed the two men in
the video were Villaruz and Pagaling, and said it will not pay ransom to the
kidnappers.
One of the armed men in the video, who was clad in a police
uniform, read a message from his cell phone and said: “Kami ay nakabihag ng
dalawang Coast Guard at isang barangay captain, nanawagan kami
na maibigay ninyo ang hinihingi namin sa lalong madaling panahon kung hindi
ninyo maibigay ang hinihingi namin ay pupugutan namin ang ulo ng isa sa mga
bihag na ito o lahat sila.” (We are holding two Coast Guard and
a village chieftain, we are calling (on the government) to give us our demand
soon and if you will not heed to our demand, we shall behead one of the
hostages, or all of them.)
http://mindanaoexaminer.com/philippine-military-launches-operations-to-rescue-3-sayyaf-hostages-lined-up-for-beheading/
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