ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyaf militants on Wednesday beheaded a Filipino hostage in Sulu province in the southern Philippines after his family failed to raise ransoms for his liberty, the military said.
It said Patrick James Almodovar, who is in his early 20s, was decapitated after the deadline to pay ransoms lapsed at 2 p.m. His severed head, wrapped in a plastic bag, was recovered in the village of Kadjatan in Indanan town, but his body is still missing. The Abu Sayyaf demanded P1 million in exchange for the man’s life.
In a video clip released by the Abu Sayyaf, Almodovar – who was kidnapped in July in Jolo town – appealed to the government to save his life and pay the ransom. But the Duterte government has a strict no-ransom policy.
“I am appealing for your help to free me from my captors and they are asking one million pesos and if they don’t get what they are demanding, they will behead me exactly at 2 in the afternoon,” Almodovar said in the 2-minute clip released last week.
The military tagged the group of Muammar Askali as behind the man’s brutal murder.
Abu Sayyaf militants in July also seized 3 people – Shariff Julhasan Abirin, Levi Gonzales and his pregnant wife Daniela Taruc – on a village in Patikul town. The victims were onboard a multi-cab when gunmen flagged down the vehicle on the village of Timpook and seized them.
The gunmen threatened to behead Gonzales – who works as a technician for Globe Telecom – if their demand for P1 million ransom is not paid by the company. His wife was only accompanying him when gunmen seized them. There was no statement from the telecom giant, but it is unlikely to pay ransom to the Abu Sayyaf for Gonzales’ life.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops last week to intensify their anti-terrorism campaign, including operations against the Abu Sayyaf which is still holding more than a dozen mostly Asian hostages in the restive Muslim region. (Ely Dumaboc)
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