Yachts moored at Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, from where three foreigners and a Filipina were kidnapped. (image from News5 video)
(UPDATED WITH VIDEO) The Abu Sayyaf Group, not communist rebels, are responsible for kidnapping three foreigners and a Filipina from a resort in Samal Island, Davao del Norte on Monday, the head of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command said Wednesday.
“We have suspects but we have not identified them yet. And we are extending all our assistance -- air, ground and naval assets for the immediate capture of the terrorists, the ASG,” Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad told InterAksyon.com after attending a briefing at the Senate on the continuing lumad crisis in Mindanao.
He said 11 Abu Sayyaf gunmen were involved in the kidnapping, striking at the “least expected time,” 11 p.m., when most of the guests at the Oceanview Resort in Barangay Camudmud, Babak were already asleep on their yachts.
The gunmen seized Kjartan Sekkinstad, the Norwegian operations manager of the resort, Canadians John Ridsdell and Robert Hall, and Hall’s partner, identified only as Tess.
Speculation that communist rebels were responsible for the abductions was triggered by a note found investigators early Tuesday that said: "Katarungan ng aming (Justice by our) commander: by NPA."
But police and military officials doubted the involvement of the New People's Army, saying that it was not the style of the communist guerrillas to leave a note such as what the kidnappers had done.
Hot pursuit operations
Baladad said all military naval and air assets are scouring all areas in Mindanao “where we have reports on the presence of these terrorist groups. Our intelligence assets also have been mobilized to determine the probable area of the suspects.”
Although he said authorities have come upon “leads,” he declined to disclose operational details of the pursuit.
He also acknowledged that they have yet to identify who exactly the suspects are.
The Abu Sayyaf is known to have a loose structure of different bands led by sub-commanders who appear to act autonomously.
The PNP Task Group Oceanview is looking at all angles to determine the group behind the abduction, including the Abu Sayyaf and even amateur kidnappers.
Composite sketch
On Wednesday, police released a composite sketch of one of the suspects in the kidnapping. Though not distinct, he was described as a male, between 20 and 25 years old, 5 foot 3 inches in height and dark complexioned.
The task group expects to enhance the CCTV footage of the abduction to determine the identities of other suspects.
The PNP task group belied reports that a boat found at Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental belonged to the kidnappers.
Though the hunt for the kidnappers was extensive, authorities admiited that their hands were tied because the Davao Gulf encompasses a large area.
Authorities defended the lack of security in the region since it was not the first kidnapping incident. In 2001, the Abu Sayyaf attacked the Pearl Farm but retreated when they were repulsed by the resort’s private guards.
Authorities said it was difficult to secure the Davao Gulf because some owners of private resorts did not cooperate with them.
The Oceanview Resort was temporarily closed on orders of its management.
Canada, UK issue travel advisories
The Canadian and the United Kingdom governments issued an advisory for their citizens against traveling to the Davao provinces and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) effective last Tuesday due to the “serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping”.
Among the areas where travel is banned are Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in ARMM; Zamboanga Peninsula and provinces of Saranggani, Lanao del Norte, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur (excluding urban areas of Davao City), Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
Davao City was not included in the travel advisory, which also had no effect in a nationwide scale but Canadian and British citizens were told to exercise “high degree of caution”.
While the city was not included, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he could not do anything if foreign governments issued a travel ban for their citizens in the Philippines.
“Wala ta’y mahimo. Talagang may nangyari dito (We cannot do anything. Something has really happened here),” Duterte said in an interview on Tuesday night at Grand Menseng Hotel.
The mayor said even if the Island Garden City of Samal was not part of Davao City, it is in Davao del Norte.
Drilon condemns kidnapping
Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon condemned the kidnapping and called on “the Philippine National Police to ensure the safe return of these individuals to their families and arrest the perpetrators of this crime the soonest.”
Nevertheless, he called the Samal abduction an “isolated” incident in a “generally peaceful” Mindanao.
Here's a News5 video report by Ed Lingao:
[Video report]
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/117913/video--abu-sayyaf-not-npa-behind-samal-kidnapping---eastmincom-chief
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