Sulu teachers fear for lives after kidnapping

From ABS-CBN (Mar 8): Sulu teachers fear for lives after kidnapping

School teachers on Saturday expressed fear after a colleague was abducted by armed men in Patikul, Sulu this week.

Teacher Alrashid Jahang was abducted last Wednesday and released eight hours later due to "mistaken identity."

"Sabi nila, napagkamalan lang daw nila akong kalaban, kaya daw nila ako dinukot. Pero pinakawalan din nila ako," Jahang said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN.

Jahang said he was treated well during the 8 hours he was kidnapped.
He also clarified that no ransom was paid for his release.

District supervisor/officer-in-charge of Patikul West Sittie Lina Arajani Asjali, who is also the principal of the Datu Oddin Bahjin Central School, is asking the government to give Sulu teachers "hazard pay" for being in a "critical area."

"Panawagan ko sa mga nakatataas na sana bigyan ng hazard fee ang mga teacher sa Patikul... kasi kritikal talaga sila doon," Asjali said.

Jahang, meantime, said he is not certain whether his abductors belong to a specific group.

"Armado sila, nakamaskara pero di ko sigurado kung Abu Sayyaf sila o hindi", Jahang said.

Even though he was traumatized by his abduction, he will still continue to teach in the same school. However, he wishes that security in Patikul be tightened.

"Nagdulot talaga ng takot pati sa ibang teacher... sana dagdagan pa yung security sa aming mga teacher," he said.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/03/08/14/sulu-teachers-fear-lives-after-kidnapping