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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
4-year-old girl seized
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Two suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits seized a four-year-old child Sunday, four days after they freed one of their hostages in the southern Philippines.
The four-year-old girl, whose identity was withheld, was playing with other children near a park in Lamitan City in the province of Basilan when seized by the suspected members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.
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Lamitan City police, led by Chief Inspector Rolando Democrito, are still puzzled as to the motive of the abduction since the latest victim belongs to a lowly income family.
The victim is a daughter of a street sweeper and a shoemaker who are residents of Malinis village in Lamitan City.
Mayor Roderick Furigay expressed concern over the victim's fate since she is the second child abducted in the city.
The first victim, who was abducted in the same area last November 26, was nine-year-old Nicole Rabeche. She still remains in captivity.
The kidnappers are reportedly demanding P2 million in exchange for Rabeche's release.
Basilan Vice-Governor Alrashid Sakalahul, who heads the Crisis Management Committee (CMC), said negotiation is ongoing for the release of Rabeche.
Sakalahul said he expects to get results in two or three days time from his emissaries who were sent to negotiate for Rabeche's release.
The latest abduction came four days after the Basilan-based kidnappers have freed Joed Pilanga, 17, a nursing student of Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Sakalahul said Pilanga was freed around 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve in the town of Al-Barka.
Sakalahul did not say how much ransom was paid, but the kidnappers have demanded P20 million for Pilanga's release.
As to the latest abduction, Sakalahul said they don't have any idea yet as to where the four-year-old girl was brought by the suspects.
However, he said the police in the towns of Tuburan and Tipo-Tipo and nearby municipalities are monitoring their respective places to determine the whereabouts of the victim.
With the abduction of the four-year-old girl, the number of hostages in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits has increased to three.
Aside from the two children, the Abu Sayyaf bandits are also holding hostage Filipino-Chinese businessman Xili Wu alias Peter Go.
Go, 28, was seized last December 13 in downtown Jolo, the capital of Sulu.
The Abu Sayyafs are demanding P20 million ransom for Go's release, but the police and military declined to confirm it since they have received different versions concerning the ransom amount. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (December 30, 2008 issue)
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