Abu Sayyaf kidnaps engineer in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Abu Sayyaf rebels abducted an engineer working with a construction company that is building a provincial road in a remote village in Basilan late Friday.

Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) identified the victim as Engr. Virgilio Fernandez, of MACE Construction Co.

Cabangbang said the victim was seized by four armed men at about 3:30 p.m at Sitio Libi, Barangay Bulanting in Lamitan City.

The suspects were identified as Musana Kamiri, resident of Barangay Paguengan, Akbar; and Muhmin Jamiri alias Boy Mu alleged to be members of the group of Nurhassan Jamiri, a known Abu Sayyaf group leader engaged in kidnapping. There was no immediate ransom demand.

Initial investigation showed that the victim was on board a white mini dump truck with plate number RJV-410 driven by a certain Basir Dasta.

“Two single motorcycles both Honda XRM colored black and blue blocked the rough road prompting the driver to slow down. Then one of them shot the front left wheel causing it to burst,” Police Director Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) Western Mindanao said.

Khu said two of the gunmen dragged the victim and headed towards Sitio Panguew, Caddayan, Akbar town.

Police and military forces have already launched a rescue operation.

Khu also confirmed the kidnapping of a young man in Basilan, allegedly by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He identified the captors of Nico Sebastian as MILF leader Arasad Jion alias “Marvin” and Nadsmir Abubakar alias “Totoh.”

Sebastian, 26, went missing on May 16, after Abubakar invited him for a billiard game in Lamitan.

The family of Sebastian only learned about the incident when they received the ransom demand through text messages from the kidnappers.

Malaysia optimistic on Saidin’s release

The Malaysian consulate office in Davao meanwhile raised hopes on the imminent release of Nazarudin Saidin, who was kidnapped in Indanan, Sulu last May 7.

Police and military authorities confirmed the ongoing negotiations between an “emissary” and the militants keeping Saidin.

The official source who is privy to the negotiation but declined to be named as he is not allowed to make public statement, however, refused to say if the negotiator for Saidin was sent by the provincial crisis management committee.

“The important thing is the kidnappers were open for the negotiation to free the victim who was mistaken to be rich,” the source said.

The police initially revealed that the kidnappers have demanded an P8-million ransom in exchange for the freedom of Saidin.

The Sulu police also identified Saidin’s kidnappers as Alhabsy Misaya, Marjuli, Abbas, Salip, and Annuar, who are members of the Abu Sayyaf group based in Indanan.

The abduction of Saidin have brought the number of kidnap victims in Sulu to five people, including a Filipino-Chinese businessman, and three fishing boat crews who were separately abducted.

The four other hostages were identified as Filipino-Chinese businessman Nelson Lim; and the three fishing boat crews – captain Renato Panisales, assistant engineer Wennie Ferrer, and quarter master Jonald Ocsimar. – With Jaime Laude