AFP issues gag order on beheading of Malaysian hostage

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) issued a gag order to its ground units in southern Philippines from releasing information on the beheading of a Malaysian national by the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu.

A source said the AFP general headquarters issued the urgent notice Tuesday night hours after the Abu Sayyaf group beheaded Chinese-Malaysian Bernard Then Fen in the vicinity of Mt. Taran in Indanan town past 2 p.m. despite military preemptive strike.

According to the source, the AFP headquarters through its Joint Staff-7 for civil military operation, issued the order in view of the negative impact of the incident to the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit

The military headquarters ordered ground units and its public affairs officers "to implement momentary news blackout” and desist from answering queries on the execution of Fen, according to a source, who requested anonymity as he is not authorized to give statement.

The source said all information regarding the brutal execution of Fen must be referred to the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).

Reports on the ground earlier disclosed that Fen was executed after his family failed to pay the P40-million ransom.

READ: Abus behead Malaysian hostage

The bandit group, led by Alden Bagade and Idang Susukan, buried the headless cadaver of the victim in Mt. Taran and hastily dispersed as the military intensified the attack.

Minutes prior to the beheading, the military launched preemptive airstrike and ground artillery to prevent the insurgents from beheading Fen.

The execution of Fen came ten days after the same Abu Sayyaf group freed his fellow captive, restaurant manager Thien Nyuk Fun who was unharmed, after alleged payment of P30-million ransom.

Both victims were seized last May 15 from a resort in Malaysia’s Sabah state and brought as captives in Sulu.