The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) has intensified
its intelligence operations in a bid to establish the location of the 10
Indonesian and four Malaysian nationals kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
brigands on separate incidents.
Maj. Filemon Tan, Westmincom information officer, on Tuesday
said that troops continue to track down the victims’ whereabouts in the
hinterlands of Sulu province.
Tan said they are also in constant contact with their
Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts concerning the development “on the
ground.”
“We are consulting with our Indonesian and Malaysian
counterparts as to what course of action we will do for the best,” Tan added.
The 10 Indonesians who were crew members of a Taiwanese
tugboat were seized last March 26 near the country's border with Malaysia
The tugboat was sailing from Indonesia
to Manila
Meanwhile, ASG brigands seized the four Malaysians last
April 1 off the waters of Ligitan near the east coast Semporna and towards the
border with the Philippines
The victims were aboard a Malaysian-registered vessel
sailing near Ligitan
Island
Tan said the Joint Task Group Sulu troops continue to
conduct focused military operations “based on available information we have.”
Meanwhile, reports disclosed the ASG brigands have given a
deadline on April 8 to meet their ransom demand in exchange for the two
Canadians, a Norweigian and a Filipina they seized last year.
The ASG brigands seized the victims on Sept. 21, 2015 while
they were on vacation at a resort in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del
Norte.
“The deadline set is the deadline of the Abu Sayyaf, for our
side, we will do our best to rescue the kidnap victims the soonest time
possible as we also consider their safety as our primary concern,” Tann said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=873435
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