Abus seize former Sulu mayor’s daughter, ex-wife

ZAMBOANGA C I T Y: ABU S AY YA F rebels seized early Wednesday the daughter of a former Sulu mayor and his ex-wife in a daring operation right in their own turf

The rebels barged into the house Eddilyn´s father Tambrin Tulawie of Eddilyn Tulawie, 27, and seized was the town’s former mayor, whose her 57-year-old mother, Addang. son Nezar is the incumbent mayor.

Tulawie’s family did not release any statement.

The abductions happned around 3 a.m. in Kuhaw Village.

The victims were asleep when the gunmen broke into their house and took them.

The motive for the abductions was still unknown, but the Abu Sayyaf is notoriously known for kidnapping for ransom not only in Sulu but also in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces, which belong to the Muslim autonomous region as well as in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and cross-border raids in Sabah, Malaysia.

It was unclear why the police and military failed to detect the Abu Sayyaf raid despite an intensive campaign against the terror group whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

The abductions took place while the whole southern region has been under an extended martial rule since last year.

President Rodrigo Duterte cited terrorism, rebellion and criminality.