Body of decapitated woman found off Basilan province

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Oct 16, 2019): Body of decapitated woman found off Basilan province

Filipino fishermen have recovered a decapitated body of a woman off the southern province of Basilan, a major stronghold of pro-ISIS terror group Abu Sayyaf, blamed by authorities for the spate of ransom kidnappings in the restive region.

The body, whose head, arms and legs had been chopped off, was found floating near the island of Lawi-Lawi off Lantawan town late Tuesday. The identity of the cadaver remains unknown. Her head and limbs have not been found.

Authorities said it launched an investigation to determine the identity of the woman and who was behind the gruesome killing.

Earlier this month, six gunmen abducted a British man, Allan Arthur Hyrons, 70, and his Filipina wife Welma Paglinawan Hyrons at their resort in Alindahaw village in Zamboanga del Sur’s Tukuran town, about 287 kilometers from here.

The abductors dragged away the victims to the sea where a motorized boat was waiting and then escaped under cover of darkness, according to the police.

Police have released four pictures of men tagged as “persons of interest” in the abduction of the couple.

A caretaker at the resort said two of the suspects rented a cottage and waited for the couple to arrive home. Aside from the resort, the couple also owns the Hyrons College in the town.

Provincial Governor Victor Yu pledged to give P1 million reward to anyone who could point the exact location of the abductors.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, but this occurred during an extended martial law in the region where security forces are battling Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf and other militants fighting for the establishment of a caliphate in Mindanao.

The Abu Sayyaf is notorious for beheading its Filipino and foreign hostages. (Zamboanga Post)

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