3 South Korean miners abducted in Lanao del Sur

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines—Armed men seized three South Korean miners in Lanao del Sur, the police said.

Senior Supt. Orlando Viñas, Lanao del Norte police chief, in a radio interview said there was still no word from armed men holding victims Woo Shu Bong, Kim Nam Dou and a certain Choi in the remote areas of Lanao del Sur.

The foreigners failed to return to their hotel in Cagayan de Oro City after a trip to inspect a mining area in that Lanao province on Oct. 30.

Viñas said they were searching for the victims’ tour guide who accompanied the Koreans before the abduction.

He said information gathered revealed that the hostages were being kept by their abductors in an area near Lake Lanao.

Von Al Haq, spokesperson for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, told the INQUIRER by phone that they have mobilized their men under the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (Ahjag) to track down the kidnappers.

Under Ahjag, MILF forces, with proper coordination with the military, can run after criminal groups in Mindanao.

“We are helping government troops in rescue efforts for the abducted foreigners. We are hopeful it will have a positive result,” Al Haq said.

In March 2008, Muslim rebels kidnapped a South Korean businessman, Tae Jung, and his Filipino companion in the province of Lanao del Sur. They were freed by their captors two months after paying ransom money.

In February 2002, South Korean treasure hunter Yoon Jae-keon was kidnapped in Sarangani province and freed four months after his family paid ransom to the kidnappers.

In 1993, eight Korean engineers working on a dam project were also seized in the province of North Cotabato.

Originally posted at 10:22 am | Monday, November 07, 2011