The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said
it is still verifying information claiming that the three foreigners and one
Filipina abducted by still unidentified men in Samal Island last Sept. 21 are
now held captive somewhere in Sulu province.
"That report has been out for a week but our
verification (conducted by AFP intelligence units) did not confirm that
report," AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said in Filipino.
Until the claims have been verified, he said the military
cannot categorically state that the victims are in Sulu.
He added that the same holds true on reports claiming that
the victims are still in Davao .
"The information that has been circling around on the
location of the hostages to date remains unconfirmed and unvalidated until
certain information that we are looking for exists, but at the moment, both the
police and the AFP cannot make a categorical statement regarding the location
of the kidnap victims," he said.
Kidnap victims identified as Canadians John Ridsel and
Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and a still unidentified Filipina
were abducted at a resort on Sept. 21 around 11:30 p.m.
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=&sid=&nid=&rid=812668
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