Aquino: How did abductors get in?

LUNA, Apayao—President Aquino on Wednesday said too many questions hounded the government about the kidnapping of a Norwegian businessman, two Canadians and a Filipino woman on Samal Island, off Davao City, on Monday night.

But Aquino said he especially wanted to know how the armed kidnappers managed to sneak into and got out of the resort island.

“This early in the investigation, we will begin a review as to how this happened,” Aquino told reporters here.

He said the authorities still did not know the identities of the armed men who abducted Canadians John Ridsdel, a former mining executive, and Robert Hall; Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, manager of Holiday Oceanview Marina, and Filipino Maritess Flor.

“In the initial reports given to me, this appears to be a new armed group. We don’t know their motives … We just don’t have all the information at the moment,” Aquino said.

He added: “The operations to recover the kidnapped Filipino woman and the foreign visitors are ongoing. One of the questions I asked yesterday was when did an incident like this happen before in Samal and I was told it was in 2001. As usual I cannot disclose details of the ongoing operations.”

He was referring to the 2001 attack by the Abu Sayyaf on Pearl Farm also on Samal Island in which two of the resort’s employees were killed. The group’s attempt to abduct the guests was foiled, though.

The President said he did not want to disrupt efforts to rescue the victims. “We have pinpointed where the victims have been kept and we don’t want to give the kidnappers a reason to move to another location. Rest assured the government will pursue these kidnappers,” he said.

Malacañang earlier said the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Task Force had coordinated with the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command in tracking down the armed group.

Thirty foreigners were on the resort island when the armed group attacked on Saturday night.

Last year, close to 30,000 foreign tourists visited Samal Island, known for its diving spots and white sand beaches, according to local tourism records.