Abu Sayyaf abduct Sulu town mayor’s stepmom, stepsister

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu province snatched two women, who were related to the mayor of Talipao town, on Wednesday dawn.

Talipao Mayor Nazer Tulawie confirmed the abduction of his stepmother Addang, 60, and his half sister Edelyn. Edelyn is Addang’s daughter by Tulawie’s father.

Tulawie said they learned of the incident around 3 a.m. Wednesday, an hour after her relatives were abducted by around 20 Abu Sayyaf bandits, who stormed Addang’s house in Barangay Kandaga.

“It’s a village very far from poblacion. I was told Abu Sayyaf men took my stepmother and half sister,” he told the Inquirer by phone.

Tulawie said he believed the Abu Sayyaf targeted his relatives “to get even with me.”

“The Abu Sayyaf are mad at me because we are helping the soldiers in eliminating them in our place. The only way to get even is to kidnap my family and relatives,” he added.

Brigadier General Divino Rey Pabayo, chief of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said the military has dispatched the Army’s Special Forces and Scout Rangers to pursue the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

Pabayo said based on reports reaching them, the suspects were under Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and were led by an Indimar Mangkabong.

“We sent troops who are familiar with the area, it’s been a while since the last kidnapping,” he said./lb