The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday
declined to comment on the video circulating on the Internet showing the
abduction of three foreigners and a Filipina in Samal Island last Sept. 21.
"The Armed Forces and the police as of the moment
cannot comment on this until such time that we have fully evaluated the video
and the other relevant information that we have at hand on the matter,"
AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said during a press briefing Wednesday.
He said military teams are now evaluating the video in order
to "thoroughly assess what we can get out of it and any matter that can be
deduced from it."
The video also show a flag apparently of the terrorist group
ISIS on the background, but Padilla refused to comment on its authenticity
until the AFP has finished its assessment.
Padilla declined to give details on the ongoing operations
aimed at rescuing the victims as this could put at risk the lives of pursuing
government security forces and the abducted civilians.
He also declined to identify the group behind the
kidnapping.
"We cannot comment on the identity of the group, as of
now they remain unidentified, they have not named themselves and as you have
seen in the video, their faces have been covered so that lends a little bit
more challenge to those who are doing the assessment," he pointed out.
"The positive thing that we derived from this video is
that the kidnap victims are in good health, appeared, seems to be and that is
as far as we are concerned, part of the good news that we got out it,"
Padilla added.
The abduction took place on Sept. 21 at around 11:30 p.m.
The victims were identified as Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall, Norwegian
Kjartan Sekkingstad, the resort manager, and a still unidentified Filipina.
Reports said the suspects were speaking in English and Filipino
when they snatched the victims.
Two Japanese tourists tried to stop the bandits but failed.
At the time of the raid, 30 or more foreigners were at the
resort.
Joint forces from Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao Philippine
Coast Guard and the 10th Infantry Division are now conducting pursuit
operations.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=815023
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