3 Malaysian fishing crew kidnapped; Abus told to surrender

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Se- curity forces have been alerted yesterday over reports of another kidnapping by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

Initial reports said three Malaysians were taken from their trawler off Sabah on Saturday.

Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Security Command confirmed unidentified gunmen took the three fishermen off their trawler near Pom Pom Island in Sabah.

There was no information, however, if the Malaysians were brought to Sulu or other outlying islands in southern Philippines.

The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said they were alerted on the latest incident but could not immediately say if this was another case of cross-border kidnapping involving groups linked with the Abu Sayyaf.

The Westmincom, however, gave assurance that troops were placed on alert and on the lookout for the Malaysians.

The Westmincom is in the thick of the fight against the Abu Sayyaf in the islands of TawiTawi and Sulu.

The military believes the abductors might not consider hiding their latest victims due to the intensified military operations.

The Abu Sayyaf still has 23 hostages – 16 foreigners and seven locals.

Up to 18 Indonesians and Malaysians were kidnapped in three attacks on tugboats earlier this year in Philippine waters by groups suspected of ties to the Abu Sayyaf. All 14 Indonesians were later released last May.

In July, the Malaysian police said five Malaysian tugboat crew were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf off the coast of Sabah.

The Abu Sayyaf, known for amassing tens of millions of dollars from kidnappings, has beheaded two Canadian nationals in recent months after ransom deadlines passed.

The group is still holding Malaysian seamen and Japanese, Dutch and Norwegian hostages as well as locals.

‘Release all hostages’

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya called on the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu to release their hostages, warning they would face the full force of the thousands of government troops pursuing them.

Visaya rallied the troops here on Saturday, urging them to sustain the momentum of the military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

He said the AFP would accept the surrender of the Abu Sayyaf and take the path of peace but with several conditions.

“Those in the Abu Sayyaf who want to surrender, the AFP will accept them, provided that they release their hostages; if not, our soldiers will hunt them down and pursue them until all of them are neutralized,” Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman for Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS), quoted the AFP chief.

Visaya did not give the troops any deadline.

“We will hunt and pursue them as long as needed,” he said.

JTFS commander Brig. Gen. Arnel dela Vega reported to Visaya that local officials and villagers are cooperating with the military in pursuit of the bandit group.

President Duterte has ordered security forces to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf following the beheading of a villager whose family was too poor to pay ransom.