ABDUCTION ON SAMAL ISLAND. Armed men abducted Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, with Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor (inset photos), and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad on the Island Garden City of Samal, just off Davao City, on Sept. 21. Photo taken on Sept. 19 shows the Norwegian shipbuilder and caretaker of Oceanview Marina posing beside his newly finished catamaran twin-hull yacht in Barangay Camudmud. INSET PHOTOS COURTESY OF AFP EASTERN MINDANAO COMMAND/FACEBOOK
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday expressed the possibility that the four tourists abducted by armed men in Samal Island had been taken to Sulu.
“We have received information [that the captives were brought to Sulu] but we cannot 100 percent rely on this information,” MILF vice chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said.
“Ang mga kidnappers sa ngayon ay magaling din ang kanilang strategy at marunong. Parang bihasa na sila sa kanilang gagawin na kidnapping. So itong mga expert you know they are good liars,” he added.
The editorial of MILF’s website luwaran.com said the captives were brought to Indanan in Sulu by an alleged Abu Sayyaf commander Al-Habsi Misaya or Al-Bahil.
“Hindi ko alam ’yung information. Siguro nakita (n’yo) rin sa TV yung pinalubog na banca dun,” Jaafar said.
“Presumption kasi … apparently ’yung banca na ginamit dun, isa sa ginamit dun sa pagkuha dun sa Samal Island. Nakita na may banca dun but pinalubog. Isang indication ’yun na very strong na nandun na ’yung kidnap victims, of course, unless parang diversion,” he added.
The hostages remained unsighted based on sources, however.
Jaafar said they believed the abduction was staged by Abu Sayyaf Group, which helds its main base in Sulu.
On Tuesday, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte announced that a suspect on the abduction was arrested. He said he learned the information in a recent briefing held by military authorities.
READ: Duterte: Suspect in Samal kidnapping nabbed
Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad said they did not have information about the arrest.
“Walang report as of now,” he said.
He also could not confirm whether the hostages had already been brought to Sulu.
“We can’t be sure kung nasa Sulu or hindi. Wala pang ina-announce ang kidnappers. Wala ring demands. Although we have reports but we cannot confirm so continuing pa lang kami dito pagse-search,” he said. Frances Mangosing/RC
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