Another Canadian hostage in the province of Sulu may have been beheaded by Abu Sayyaf kidnappers even as a Malacanang executive on Monday said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is confirming the reports.
”AFF is verifying,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.
It must berecalled that armed men seized Hall, Canadian John Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino Maritess Flor from an exclusive marina in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte province on Sept. 21 last year. They were eventually handed over later to the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.
ASG earlier gave authorities and the families of the victims until June 13, 2016 to give the Php 600 million ransom for the remaining three victims, identified as Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Hall’s Filipina girlfriend, Marithes Flor.
Last April 25, the bandits beheaded one of its kidnap-victim, Canadian John Ridsdel, after authorities declined to give the ransom money demanded by the bandits, who are notorious for kidnappings and terrorist activities.
The Aquino government is firm against giving in to the bandits’ demand and instead intensified military operations against the ASG in Sulu.
President Benigno Aquino III earlier said “full resources of the State are being brought down on the ASG.”
”Our primary objective is to rescue the hostages and ensure the safety of our civilian population…,” he said.(PNA)
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