ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/4 August) – The Abu Sayyaf bandits have once again seized a victim in Sulu just three days after they freed the 30-year-old wife of a businessman, a military official disclosed Thursday.
Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) spokesman, disclosed that the latest incident took place around 3 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Tagbak in the municipality of Indanan.
Cabangbang identified the latest victim as Hadja Evangeline Taverisma, a midwife assigned at the health center of Tagbak.
He said that Taverisma, whose husband is a retired soldier, was on her way to the health center when intercepted and seized by four unidentified young men who were all armed with caliber .45 pistols.
The gunmen dragged Taverisma and forced her to board a red Toyota Tamaraw and sped towards the hinterlands of the province, Cabangbang said.
He said the gunmen are followers of Abu Sayyaf leaders Nasir Timbang and a certain Commander Palu.
“The kidnappers, who usually use such kind of getaway vehicle, is the group of Nasir Timbang and Commander Palu,” he added.
Taverisma was seized three days after Jocelyn Batronel was released by the Abu Sayyaf bandits in downtown Jolo, the capital town of Sulu, after her husband Jose paid a P100,000 ransom.
The husband was released last July 16 but the Abu Sayyaf bandits kept his wife to force her to produce the P100,000 ransom.
The Batronel couple, who is into the businesses of foam, appliances and lending, was kidnapped last July 13 from their rented house in Barangay Busbus, Jolo.
Wednesday’s incident in Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, has increased to a total of five kidnap victims who are still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the island province of Sulu.
The other four include a Malaysian and Indian nationals and two Filipino crew of a Zamboanga City-based fishing firm.
Mohammad Nasaruddin Bin Saidin, 38, a Malaysian gecko trader, was kidnapped last May 8 in Barangay Kajatian, Indanan town while Biju Kolara Veetil, 36, who is married to a Sulu native, was kidnapped last June 22 in Barangay Tempok, Patikul municipality.
Renato Penisales, boat captain, and Wennie Ferrer, assistant engineer, of Mega 8 light boat of the Mega Fishing Corporation were kidnapped last March 19 near Menes Island, Panglima Tahil town. (MindaNews)