Armed men abduct retired master sergeant in Sulu

Armed men abducted a retired soldier off Patukunan Island in Tahil town in Sulu province on Sunday morning, Sulu police said.

The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m., GMA News correspondent Peewee Bacuño reported, citing initial reports from the Sulu police.

Initial information identified the victim as Master Sergeant Renato Fernandez, supposedly of the Philippine Marines.

isang retiradong sundalo, dinukot ng armadong grupo sa panglima tahil, sulu @gmanews @dzbb

— peewee bacuño (@PeeweeHero) April 5, 2015

Fernandez was aboard his own watercraft off Patukunan Island in Panglima Tahil in Sulu, the report said.

Fernandez's wife Embraida said her husband left Jolo pier aboard their own watercraft, the motor launch "RJ Express," with 40 passengers going to Pangutaran Island at about 9:15 a.m.

But upon approaching Patukunan island, three of the passengers drew high-powered firearms and told the victim that he was their target for a "kidnapping."

Two pump boats with four armed men then approached the vessel and the men transferred the victim aboard one of the pump boats. The men then fled towards Barangay Buton in Mahablo, Parang in Sulu. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News