ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 27, 2013) – Kidnappers have demanded P70 million in exchange for the safe release of three people kidnapped in southern Philippines.
The captors of Al Rojas, who works as a clerk at the Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City, have demanded P20 million for his freedom, his family said.
Rojas, who was previously reported by the police as a university professor, was kidnapped from his home in the coastal village of Campo Islam in Zamboanga City on June 22. His family did not say who was behind the kidnapping.
Kidnappers also demanded P50 million for the freedom of two Filipino Muslim sisters of Algerian descent – Linda and Nadjoua Bansil – who are both filmmakers.
They were seized from a commuter jeep while with the members of the Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam by suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels in the town of Patikul in Sulu province also in June 22. The duo was filming a documentary when they were snatched by gunmen.
According to Sultan Bantilan Muhammad Mu’izzuddin II, of the Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam, the sisters were with sultanate members conducting an ocular inspection of some agricultural-based economic self-reliance projects in Patikul when the kidnapping occurred.
The Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam said the rebels demanded the ransom from the Algerian government through the sisters’ mother, Fatiha Elouali, who is an Algerian. Algeria has no embassy in Manila, but Malaysia.
Sultan Bantilan Muhammad Mu’izzuddin II said he has repeatedly appealed to the kidnappers for the safe release of the two hostages. He also appealed to the military and the Aquino government to refrain from taking aggressive action until the Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam shall have exhausted all peaceful means to resolve the problem.
The ransom claims could not be immediately confirmed and police and military authorities have not provided any single briefing or reports to journalists about the progress of the search for the hostages.
Bansil’s family also has not made any statement about the ransom demand. But the captives’ brother Medmessiah Bansil has apologized to friends and relatives for not able to answer all their queries about the kidnapping.
“Paumanhin po sa lahat ng aking mga kaibigan at kamag-anak kung hindi kami nakakasagot sa mga mensahe at tawag ninyo dahil sa mga bagay na hindi po namin pwedeng idiskurso kahit kanino pero kami po ay taus-pusong nagpapasalamat sa inyong walang hintong suporta sa aming mga kapatid mabuhay po kayong lahat at sana’y patnubayan kayo ng Diyos, Allah ng magagandang biyaya sa buhay,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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