MALAYSIAN SHOT BY ABU SAYYAF
Abductee shot while trying to escape from captors during firefight in Sulu
AMALAYSIAN kidnap victim was reported to have been shot during a firefight between the Philippines security forces and Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province on Thursday.
According to Mindanao-based news portal, Minda News, Jari Abdullah, 43, was in critical condition when the Philippines Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 found him at 4.25pm after the militants withdrew.
The news service arm of the Mindanao Institute of Journalism yesterday reported that Jari was shot while trying to escape from his captors, who were engaged in a 15-minute exchange of fire with the marines.
The Abu Sayyaf militants were led by a person known as Najir Arik and the shoot-out occurred in Simusa Island, Barangay Bahkaan, Banguingui in Sulu.
Western Mindanao Command spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Gerry Besana was quoted saying
the Abu Sayyaf men shot Jari when he tried to escape from them during the firefight.
Bersana said a Philippine Huey helicopter airlifted Jari to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Jolo for treatment, adding that Jari was “in a very critical medical condition”.
Jari’s wife, Nadin Junianti Najiri, 25, said she learnt about her husband’s situation when she was contacted by the New Straits Times.
She prayed that Jari would make it.
“I hope he will recuperate and return home soon. For the past few days, our 1-year-old son has been calling out for his father as if he knew something was about to happen to him.
“He has never called out (for Jari) before this.”
Eastern Sabah Security Command Commander Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the authorities had yet to receive any information on the incident, but would check with their counterparts.
On Dec 6 last year, Jari, along with two Indonesian fishermen, were reported missing, believed to have been kidnapped from their boat while fishing in Pegasus Reef Kinabatangan here.
The Indonesians were identified as Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45.
A day earlier, four armed men stormed a vessel carrying 13 crew members — two Malaysians and 11 Indonesians — at the same location at Pegasus Reef.
In the incident, the armed men opened fire, which hit the skipper. However, all crew members were reported safe.