From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 4): Abu Sayyaf believed to be responsible for abduction in Sabah, Palace says
Members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) may be behind the kidnapping of a Filipina resort worker and a female Chinese tourist in Semporna,Sabah , Malacanang said Friday.
Reports said the Filipina resort worker was identified as Marcelita Dayawan and the female Chinese tourist as Gao Huayun.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a Palace media briefing, cited a report from military spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala on the incident which occurred last Wednesday.
“(The captives) were abducted by seven fully armed men believed to be ASG members and immediately boarded a white colored speedboat with a stripe blue and proceeded towards the Philippine Sea,” Lacierda said, citing Zagala's report.
Lacierda further said that the abductors are believed to be of the group of Murphy Ambang Ladia, also known as Haji Gulam, native ofPandami Island
He also noted that Ladia was a former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader who joined the Misuari breakaway group in 2001 and was designated as the MBG logistics and transportation officer.
“Subject (Ludia) later joined the ASG operating in Tawi-Tawi under ASG Binang Sahirol,” Lacierda said, still citing Zagala's text message.
“Initial available information obtained further stated that said abductors proceeded in the vicinity of Simunul municipality, Tawi-Tawi, eluding Malaysian authorities conducting pursuit operations,” he added.
Lacierda said that Task Force 62 of the Western Mindanao Command will conduct support operations to the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Provincial Police Office of Tawi-Tawi.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=632543
Members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) may be behind the kidnapping of a Filipina resort worker and a female Chinese tourist in Semporna,
Reports said the Filipina resort worker was identified as Marcelita Dayawan and the female Chinese tourist as Gao Huayun.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a Palace media briefing, cited a report from military spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala on the incident which occurred last Wednesday.
“(The captives) were abducted by seven fully armed men believed to be ASG members and immediately boarded a white colored speedboat with a stripe blue and proceeded towards the Philippine Sea,” Lacierda said, citing Zagala's report.
Lacierda further said that the abductors are believed to be of the group of Murphy Ambang Ladia, also known as Haji Gulam, native of
He also noted that Ladia was a former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader who joined the Misuari breakaway group in 2001 and was designated as the MBG logistics and transportation officer.
“Subject (Ludia) later joined the ASG operating in Tawi-Tawi under ASG Binang Sahirol,” Lacierda said, still citing Zagala's text message.
“Initial available information obtained further stated that said abductors proceeded in the vicinity of Simunul municipality, Tawi-Tawi, eluding Malaysian authorities conducting pursuit operations,” he added.
Lacierda said that Task Force 62 of the Western Mindanao Command will conduct support operations to the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Provincial Police Office of Tawi-Tawi.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=632543