DAVAO CITY – Philippine authorities continued searching Wednesday for 3 foreigners and a Filipino woman abducted by gunmen from an upscale tourist resort in the country’s restive southern region of Mindanao. But so far, security forces have found no clues that would lead them to the hostages.
Police and military said at least 11 armed men stormed the Holiday Oceanview Resort on Samal Island off Davao del Norte province on September 21 and seized Canadians John Ridsdel, 68; and Robert Hall, 60; and the 56-year old Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, the resort’s manager, including Filipina Teresita Flor.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the daring abductions, but authorities were suspecting the rebel group Abu Sayyaf – notorious for kidnapping of foreigners and raid at tourist resorts in southern Philippines and Sabah – was behind the attack, although communist and other rebel groups operate in the region.
“All efforts are currently being exhausted by the military and police to locate and establish the identities of the abductors,” said Marine Captain Maria Rowena Muyuela, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command.
She said naval boats were scouring the seas around the island and nearby areas to help military and police units involved in the search for the victims, and this is on top of intelligence gathering about the abductors.
“We have dispatched navy units for maritime interdiction along possible routes and have intensified our intelligence monitoring to locate the group and the victims in coordination with the Eastern Mindanao Command,” Muyuela said, quoting a statement by Lieutenant General Rustico Guerrero, chief of the Western Mindanao Command.
Muyuela said they have yet to identify the group behind the raid, but joint police and military investigations are still on going.
“Currently, joint operations and investigations are being conducted by the military and police. We have yet to confirm the circumstances and identify the group responsible for the abductions,” she said.
Security cameras at the resort also captured the abductions and showed the gunmen herding their victims to a bridge in the marina as they escape on a pair of motorized outrigger boats.
The gunmen also left a note that reads “Katarungan ng aming commander.” (Justice for our commander)
Canada has warned its citizens from travelling to some parts of the southern Philippines due to the serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping and these included Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces in the Muslim autonomous region, as well as to the Zamboanga Peninsula and the provinces of Sarangani, Lanao del Norte, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.
The resort has not issued any statement and its website – www.holidayoceanview.com was hacked and its page redirected to a Japanese sex site.
Police and military have tightened security on Samal Island, a favorite destination of foreigners and Filipino holidaymakers in southern Philippines because of its pristine beaches and diving and snorkeling sites.
Despite the incident, Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said he will implement P92 million worth of infrastructure projects to help improve tourism and living conditions there. (Mindanao Examiner)
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