Military working on identifying abductors of German national

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 17): Military working on identifying abductors of German national

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to identify the armed group that abducted 70-year-old German Jurgen Kantner and killed his female companion while they were cruising near Sabah waters early this month.

"We are still validating information on the identities of the armed group (who have kidnapped Kantner). We really have to be very careful in determining these as we don't want a growing list of kidnap victims without validated information on who's holding them," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in Filipino.

Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) spokesperson Abu Rami claims that have Kantner in their custody.
"They can always claim but we have to rely on our own reports from the field with regard to confirmation, we do not want to be misled, we don't what their agenda is in admitting responsibility to Kantner's kidnapping. Maybe they want the AFP to stop its ongoing operations against them," he added.

Rami earlier claimed that Kantner was seized by his men while in the waters of Tanjong Luuk Pisuk, Sabah.

His female companion, identified as Sabine Mertz, was found dead with several gunshot wounds aboard Kantner's yacht spotted drifting off Laparan Island, Pangutaran, Sulu last Nov. 6.

Earlier reports claimed that Mertz, who was found naked, was allegedly raped by her killers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=940778