ZAMBOANGA CITY - - The military stood by its focused operations to rescue the three remaining Samal captives held by the Abu Sayyaf group, who released a “final message” from the hostages on Sunday.
Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the military has not seen the new video yet. However, he maintained that the deadline does not factor into Wesmincom's operations.
“With deadlines or not, we are working to get the kidnap victims,” Tan said.
Tan said the ground forces continued to pursue search and rescue operation in Sulu based on the available information.
“Our primary concern is the rescue and safety of the kidnap victims,” Tan added.
The military declined to divulge any information that may affect operations such as sightings of the Abu Sayyaf group and their kidnap victims.
In a fresh video posted on the Intelligence group SITE Sunday, the Abu Sayyaf group sent what it said is the “final message” of the Samal island captives.
Canadian Robert Hall, one of the three remaining Samal Island captives, appealed to incoming president and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine government to coordinate with a certain woman at the Canadian Embassy for their release.
Hall was asking to work on their appeal “the sooner the better” for their release.
The Abu Sayyaf group has given June 13 as its deadline for the victims' families and governments to comply with its demand. There was no mention of a specific demand in the new video but the group previously demanded P300 million each for the foreign captives.
The Abu Sayyaf beheaded Canadian John Ridsdel on April 25 after the family failed to pay the ransom.
Canadians Hall and Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipino woman Marites Flor were abducted on September 21 last year in Samal Island Resort off Davao del Norte and brought to Sulu as captives.
Aside from them, the Abu Sayyaf group is also holding four Malaysians and five local hostages captive in Sulu.