4 Caucasians seized by armed men in Cotabato - military
05/31/2007 | 01:48 PM
Four Caucasians – two men and two women – of still unknown nationality were seized by armed men on Thursday morning in Cotabato province in central Mindanao, according to a senior military official.
Radio station dzBB reported that 6th Infantry Division commander Major General Raymundo Ferrer said the four Caucasians were abducted by unidentified armed men at about 10 a.m. in the vicinity of Barangay (village) Patulawan in Pikit town, Cotabato.
Ferrer noted that there is a standing travel ban in central Mindanao, referring to advisories issued last month by the United States, Australia and Canada to their nationals against potential terrorist bombings in Mindanao.
The victims' hands, whose hands were reportedly tied up, were loaded onto a "Skylab" motorcycle, a local term for a motorcycle fitted with planks that extend beyond its sides for seating additional passengers.
Ferrer also said that it is possible the victims were abducted elsewhere and brought to Pikit because there is a travel ban in the area.
A military report said the suspects abducted the victims aboard their white gray Nissan van along a national highway in Batuwalan village and were later brought towards the town of Pagulangan in Maguindanao.
Authorities have recovered the van, which is owned by a certain Roselyn Timbal of Maa, Davao City.
The armed men, along with the Caucasians, reportedly withdrew toward the direction of Barangay Balunis, also in Pikit, which borders Barangay Patulawan.
Military and police forces have launched pursuit operations.
A number of armed groups operate in Mindanao island, including the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front which is negotiating with a peace accord with government, along with the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom group and the Abu Sayyaf Group, linked with the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network.
The kidnapping also happened even as the Philippine and United States navies formally opened a joint training exercise dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat 2007). The nine-day exercise involves at least 2,000 American and Filipino troops.
The yearly training is being held in areas near Zamboanga City and the restive island-province of Basilan. Previously, the training was held in Luzon at the former US naval base in Subic, Olongapo City and in Zambales province. -GMANews.TV
Radio station dzBB reported that 6th Infantry Division commander Major General Raymundo Ferrer said the four Caucasians were abducted by unidentified armed men at about 10 a.m. in the vicinity of Barangay (village) Patulawan in Pikit town, Cotabato.
Ferrer noted that there is a standing travel ban in central Mindanao, referring to advisories issued last month by the United States, Australia and Canada to their nationals against potential terrorist bombings in Mindanao.
The victims' hands, whose hands were reportedly tied up, were loaded onto a "Skylab" motorcycle, a local term for a motorcycle fitted with planks that extend beyond its sides for seating additional passengers.
Ferrer also said that it is possible the victims were abducted elsewhere and brought to Pikit because there is a travel ban in the area.
A military report said the suspects abducted the victims aboard their white gray Nissan van along a national highway in Batuwalan village and were later brought towards the town of Pagulangan in Maguindanao.
Authorities have recovered the van, which is owned by a certain Roselyn Timbal of Maa, Davao City.
The armed men, along with the Caucasians, reportedly withdrew toward the direction of Barangay Balunis, also in Pikit, which borders Barangay Patulawan.
Military and police forces have launched pursuit operations.
A number of armed groups operate in Mindanao island, including the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front which is negotiating with a peace accord with government, along with the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom group and the Abu Sayyaf Group, linked with the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network.
The kidnapping also happened even as the Philippine and United States navies formally opened a joint training exercise dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat 2007). The nine-day exercise involves at least 2,000 American and Filipino troops.
The yearly training is being held in areas near Zamboanga City and the restive island-province of Basilan. Previously, the training was held in Luzon at the former US naval base in Subic, Olongapo City and in Zambales province. -GMANews.TV
