Gunmen seize 2 Europeans, Filipino guide off Tawi-Tawi

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Five unidentified gunmen abducted a Swiss and a Dutch tourist along with their Filipino guide Wednesday and took them away by boat in the province of Tawi-Tawi, authorities said.

Western Mindanao Command spokesman Randolph Cabangbang said the kidnapping took place at 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the village of Parangan, Panglima Sugala town, in the remote islands that make up the province.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

The victims were identified as Ewold Horn, 52, of Holland; Lorenzo Vinziguerre, 47, of Switzerland; and tour guide Ivan Sarenas of Davao City.

The Dutch Embassy in Manila confirmed the kidnapping and said it has been working on the case. Switzerland's Foreign Ministry said the Swiss Embassy in Manila was in contact with the authorities about the incident.

Tawi-Tawi police director Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson said the victims were aboard a motorized banca and were taking pictures of rare bird species when the gunmen aboard another banca arrived and at gunpoint seized them.

Jocson said a policeman and a village councilor who were escorting the tourists failed to stop the gunmen because they were unarmed.

The gunmen ordered the councilman and the officer to jump out of the boat before escaping.

Jocson said Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali ordered all local government officials to monitor and immediately report the presence of the victims if brought to their locality.

"It has been our practice that we secure Caucasian visitors… Next time, if there will be a next time, I will not allow them (foreigners) to go around without armed escorts," Sahali said.

He said the tourists arrived about 10 days earlier and stayed most of the time in the mountains to photograph rare birds. They were scheduled to leave Thursday.

Authorities have no suspects and no ransom demand has been made, Sahali said.

He said about two dozen policemen were heading to another village, where the foreigners were reported to have been sighted.

The military and police also were reported to have cordoned off the area, while Philippine marines were being mobilized to help in the rescue.

The three were the latest kidnap victims in southern Philippines, the stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked bandits and criminal gangs that often seek ransom for their foreign hostages.

Tawi-Tawi is home to small islands known as Turtle Islands, which are close to Malaysian waters.

Muslim rebels have been fighting for minority self-rule in the predominantly Christian nation's south for decades. The most violent group, al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, has been notorious for terrorist attacks and kidnappings for ransom.

Cabangbang said Abu Sayyaf has been active in Tawi-Tawi, coming from their strongholds in nearby Basilan and Jolo islands.

The bandits are believed to be holding a former Australian soldier who was kidnapped before Christmas. In January, a video surfaced of him pleading for his life and urging the Philippines and Australia to raise a $2-million ransom being demanded by his captors. (AP/Sunnex)