Abu Sayyaf beheads village chief in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf insurgents beheaded one of its male captives they held hostage in Sulu province after negotiation for his safe release failed.

Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, chief of staff of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Joint Task Force Zambasulta, identified the victim as Rodolfo Bulagao.

Bulagao, a barangay captain of Aliguay Island in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, was abducted last May 4 along with Philippine Coast Guard personnel Seaman 2nd Class Gringo Villaruz and Seaman 1st Class Rod Pagaling.

Trinidad said the decapitated head was found around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday by a civilian in Barangay Labah, Maimbung town.

The local police was immediately alerted and recovered the remains of Bulagao, which were brought to the Sulu Provincial hospital for proper disposition.

There was no immediate report on what prompted the execution of the victim though the Abu Sayyaf group issued threats last June to execute one of the three victims taken from Dapitan City if the government will not pay the huge ransom.

The group issued its warning through a video clip posted on social media, showing all three hostages.

In the more than three-minute video clip, each of the victims were directed to speak and appealed for their safety from the possible beheading.

“The reports we received, there was failure of negotiation,” Trinidad said without elaborating.

There were reports that the Abu Sayyaf group directly negotiated with Bulagao’s family, demanding P500,000 ransom in exchange for the release of the victim.

It was not clear how much ransom the Abu Sayyaf demanded for the release the two Coast Guard personnel.

Trinidad said the remains of Bulagao were scheduled to be transported by the Navy late Tuesday afternoon and the victim’s family requested for privacy from the media.

Trinidad said negotiation is still ongoing for the release of the two Coast Guard personnel and other hostages.

Among the captives still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf group were foreigners Elwold Horns of Holland, Malaysian Thien Nyuk Fun, Cambodian Bernard Then Ted Fen, Korean businessman Noui Hong Sung and long-time captive Japanese national Toshio Ito.

The local victims were Mayor Gemma Adana of Naga town, Zamboanga Sibugay province, Coast Guard personnel Villaruz and Pagaling and three-year old Ace Jay Garban, a scion of a known political clan in Pitogo town, Zamboanga del Sur.