ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE – Suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels have threatened to behead 3 of their hostages – a village chieftain and two Coast Guard personnel – who had been kidnapped from a tourist island in Zamboanga del Norte province in southern Philippines.
A video posted on Facebook showed the men – eyes covered with handkerchief and hands tied behind their back – begging to the Aquino government to help them, saying their captors have threatened to decapitate all of them if their demands were not met.
The trio – Gringo Villaruz and Rodlyn Pagaling; and village chieftain Roberto Buligao – were being guarded by at least 8 hooded armed men, one of them was holding a bolo to the neck of Pagaling as he was appealing in front of the camera on an area surrounded with shrubs.
They were kidnapped on May 4 after more than a dozen 15 gunmen swooped down on Aliguay Island near Dakak Resort in Dapitan City.
Although no individual or group claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, authorities have tagged the Abu Sayyaf – which pledged allegiance to ISIS – in the raid on the island which is just 45 minutes by boat from Dakak Resort and is a favorite destination of local and foreign tourists.
It was unknown who originally put up the clip which that ran almost 4 minutes, but the video was shared by viewers on Facebook and can be accessed on this URL:https://www.facebook.com/
The Coast Guard has confirmed the two men in the video were Villaruz and Pagaling, and said it will not pay ransom to the kidnappers.
“Nanawagan (ako) sa pamahalaan na tulungan kami, lalo na si President Aquino, tulungan mo kami…papatayin kami nila. Maawa ka sa amin, sa mga opisyales ng gobyerno, sa pamilya namin tulungan ninyo kami,” the terrified Pagaling said, his voice trembling and body shaking from extreme fear. (I am appealing to the government; particularly to President Aquino to help us…they are threatening to kill us all. Have mercy on us, officials of this government, our families, please help us.)
His companion, Villaruz, also made a similar appeal. “Humihingi kami ng tulong galing sa kataas-taasan pamahalaan sa Pilipinas, Sir, tulungan mo kami, hindi kami puwedeng magtagal dito kasi kukunan kami ng ulo kung yun hinihingi nila ay hindi maibigay. Kung sino ang nakapanood ng video nito tulungan ninyo kami, maawa kayo sa amin.” We are begging for help to the highest official of the Philippine government, Sir help us. We cannot stay here longer because they will behead us if their demands are not met. Whoever is watching this video, please help us, have pity on us.)
Buligao also appealed to politicians in Dapitan City to help them. “Help us, please have mercy on us,” he said.
One of the armed men clad in a police uniform, who appeared to be the leader of the group, also read a message from his cell phone and said: “Kami ay nakabihag ng dalawang Coast Guard at isang barangay captain, nanawagan kami na maibigay ninyo ang hinihingi namin sa lalong madaling panahon kung hindi ninyo maibigay ang hinihingi namin ay pupugutan namin ang ulo ng isa sa mga bihag na ito o lahat sila.” (We are holding two Coast Guard and a village chieftain, we are calling (on the government) to give us our demand soon and if you will not heed to our demand, we shall behead one of the hostages, or all of them.)
The gunman did not say anything about their demand in exchange for the safe release of the hostages, but other reports claimed the kidnappers demanded at least P3 million ransoms. (Mindanao Examiner)
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