ABU Sayyaf Group (ASG) members have seized a government engineer in the island province of Sulu, a top military said on Wednesday.
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, identified the victim as Engineer Enrico Nee of the first engineering district of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH-Armm).
Sobejana said Nee was seized at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, February 14, in San Raymundo village, Jolo, Sulu.
He said the victim was waiting for a tricycle approximately 20 meters away from his residence when a lone gunman approached and at gunpoint forced him to board a Tamaraw-type jeep that sped to Anuling village, Patikul town.
He said the incident may be part of the express kidnapping of the ASG to get ransom payment and sustain the group’s terror activities.
He said they have already recovered the get-away vehicle and are closely tracking the escape route of the ASG as rescue operation was immediately launched together with the police forces in the province.
“We are appealing to the public to immediately inform us on any monitored hostile plans of the ASG so that we can take immediate appropriate action,” he said.
He added that maintenance of law and order as well as security is everybody's concern.
The kidnapping of Nee has increased to 10 the number of hostages who are being held captives by the ASG.
They included five foreigners--three Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Dutch--and five Filipinos, including Nee. (SunStar Philippines)