Abu Sayyaf kidnaps 3 in Sulu

Suspected Abu Sayyaf Group members kidnapped three individuals in Patikul, Sulu on Saturday morning.

Major Filemon Tan, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) Western Mindanao Command, said a technician of Globe Telecom, his wife, and a companion were on board a multicab and on their Barangay Bagsak when they were abducted by the bandits at around 10:20 a.m. in Barangay Timpook.

Tan identified the victims as Levi Gonzales and his wife, Daniele, both 30 years old, and Shariff Julhasan Abirin.

Tan said the kidnapping of the three brings the number of the Abu Sayyaf Group's kidnap victims in Sulu to 27.

"The trio was forcibly taken going to the direction of Sitio Kaban-kaban (also in barangay Timpook)," Tan said.

He added that the multicab of the victims was later recovered by the authorities.

Tan reassured that rescue operations are underway to recover the victims. He said the military has yet to determine if the kidnappers have made any ransom demands.

"It wil all start from intelligence gathering. We cannot just deploy troops, conduct strike operations, with us knowing the particular area where they are hiding. We have an ongoing intelligence build-up," Tan said.

Meanwhile, Tan said that 17 of the 27 captives of the bandits are foreigners including Dutch wildlife photographer Elwood Horn and Norweigan Kjartan Sekkingstad.

The Malaysian police chief said last July 26, five Malaysian tugboat crew members went missing off the coast of Borneo Island.

Earlier in June, the AFP confirmed reports the ASG kidnapped seven Indonesian sailors in Sulu Sea.

The ASG have also beheaded two Canadians and released one Filipina hostage. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG, GMA News