Police in Sulu are verifying information that negotiations are ongoing for the release of two Malaysians abducted by the Abu Sayyaf in Sabah last May, and that an initial ransom may have already been paid.
Sulu police cited initial information that a negotiator said to be from Basilan had initiated negotiations for the release of the two hostages, GMA News correspondent Peewee Bacuño reported Friday.
According to raw information gathered by police, the Abu Sayyaf demanded P140 million in ransom, and that advance payment of P35 million had been already been given.
But while the Abu Sayyaf was counting the money and making sure it was not fake, it had to stop due to operations by the Philippine Army in the area.
One of the operations led to an encounter at Barangay Sawaki in Indanan, Sulu on Thursday.
Last May, Malaysian news site New Straits Times quoted Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman as saying the abductors have so far made three phone calls to the victims' kin.
The police commissioner said the abductors also sought medicine for one of the hostages, Thien Nyuk Fun, who is suffering from diabetes.
On May 14, armed gunmen believed to be linked to the Abu Sayyaf abducted Thien and her customer Bernard Thed Ten Fen at a seafood restaurant in Sandakan.
Sulu police had said members of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group were behind the abduction, and that they may have brought their captives to Sulu.
Two of the four abductors were identified as Abu Sayyaf members Mindas Muktadil and his brother Kadafy Muktadil.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.