Abu Sayyaf beheads Malaysian hostage in Sulu –military official

Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu have beheaded their Malaysian hostage after his family failed to give in to the group's ransom demand, a military official said Tuesday.

 

Citing intelligence information reaching him, Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu, said Bernard Ghen Ted Fen was believed to have been executed and buried in Barangay Bud-Taran in Indanan, Sulu.

 

"Accordingly, the body was immediately buried in the vicinity where they beheaded the victim," Arrojado said.

 

He said the beheading was carried out after the victim's family "failed to comply with the demand of the Indanan-based ASG led by sub-leaders Alden Bagade and Idang Susukan during their negotiation."

 

Fen and another Malaysian, Thien Nyuk Fun, were kidnapped by armed men at the Ocean King Restaurant in Sandakan, Malaysia, on May 14. Fun was released early November after his family paid P30 million in ransom to the kidnappers.

 

According to Arrojado, prior to the reported threats of beheading, the task force launched air rockets and artillery fire against reported locations of the Abu Sayyaf in Bud-Taran. 

 

"It was reported that the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) hastily dispersed during rocket fires and shelling," he said.  

 

"It appears that the beheading pushed through almost simultaneously with the bombardment and rocket fires," Arrojado added.

 

Troops have been deployed to pursue the kidnappers and locate the burial place or the victim's body, Arrojado said. —KBK, GMA News