P20-million ransom sought for college vice president

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Philippines – Suspected Abu Sayyaf extremists demanded P20 million in ransom for the release of a school official kidnapped last Thursday.

Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul, chairman of the provincial Crisis Management Committee (CMC) negotiating for the release of Orlando Fajardo, said the kidnappers demanded P100,000 as initial payment for the negotiations to continue.

Sakalahul said the kidnappers also demanded maintenance medicines for Fajardo, who is reportedly suffering from diabetes and heart ailments.

Fajardo, vice president for academic affairs of Basilan State College (BSC), his wife Lilia and a neighbor were on board their van on their way home when they were blocked by unidentified gunmen in Barangay Sumagdang late Thursday.

The gunmen commandeered the van and fled with Fajardo, leaving Lilia and their neighbor, police said.

Sakalahul said the ransom demands were made through the victim’s family and BSC president Hakim Edris.

It was the first time that the kidnappers established contact and made known their demand almost a week after the snatch, Sakalahul said.

Sakalahul though expressed his belief that the kidnappers are Abu Sayyaf, the same group that beheaded Mark Singson, a factory worker whose head was found in a plastic bag in the city plaza.

The Abu Sayyaf reportedly beheaded Singson after his employer failed to pay the ransom demand of P1.5 million.

Authorities would not confirm if it was the Abu Sayyaf that kidnapped Fajardo.

Sakalahul, however, said security forces have already pinpointed the location where Fajardo was brought.

“We are verifying the area and it is not time yet to reveal the place as there is an ongoing police and military effort to get the victim,” he said.

On the other hand, Sakalahul said they have yet to locate the whereabouts of the two remaining hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf along with Singson.

Police said the Abu Sayyaf still had Chinese nationals Bon Shung Tan and Zi Shun Lu, who were taken along with Singson from a wood factory in Maluso town last Nov. 10.