Thursday, October 09, 2003
AFP retracts statement on Malaysian abduction
By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE military Wednesday retracted from its earlier statement that the armed men who abducted six workers from a Malaysian resort Sunday were Tausug-speaking.
In a radio interview, military spokesman Col. Daniel Lucero said Nestor Ireneo, Filipino worker at the Borneo Paradise Resort in Lahud Datu, Sandacan, who was able to escape from the abductors, testified the 10 unidentified kidnappers were fluent in the Bahasa Melayu -- a Malaysian dialect.
Lucero said the testimony indicates the kidnappers are not Filipinos and definitely not members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, as earlier suspected.
He said the 30-footer speedboat, which was used by the suspects, was recovered in Kunak River, 25 nautical miles off Lahud Datu.
"So ibig sabihin nagpalit ng vessel yung mga kidnappers," Lucero said.
He could not, however, ascertain where the suspects brought their five captives, who were confirmed to be two Filipinos and three Indonesians.
The Filipino kidnap victims were identified as Norberto Aresi and a certain Nico.
An Army official in Davao City, however, Wednesday said the kidnappers were reportedly seen heading towards Central Sulu and Talipao area in Mindanao.
Earlier, Lt. Gen Rodolfo Garcia, vice chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippine, said the recovery of the speedboat indicates that the kidnappers have not entered the country and are most likely Malaysians and not members of the Abu Sayyaf group.
"The group is most probably composed of local bandits operating in Sabah, Malaysia, because they are reportedly very fluent in Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian," he said.
Garcia, however, said the military remains on alert in case the kidnappers do proceed to Mindanao.
"We have naval ships watching the border between Tawi-Tawi and Sabah," he said.
He added no demands were received regarding the release of the hostages.
(October 9, 2003 issue)
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