More violence in Mindanao

[cheryz]

44 policemen dies, i never watch a news but when i open my facebook i saw it in my newsfeed. it so devastating to saw it.

[m&m]

It saddened me a lot regarding the encounter of the SAF and the MILF in Mindanao wherein 44 SAF members died. The world today is dying of love. People hate people and even family are against to each other. It is biblical, indeed, that we can read that even Cain try to kill Abel. This is the awfulness of sin wherein our fore fore fathers has done when Adam and Eve commit sin in the garden of Eden.

[crisipicada]

The tragic death of SAF commandos in Maguindanan has been the headlines in the television. Why not we live a peaceful living and united nation? We might have different faith, religion, and God we believe, but remember we breathe the same air, raise the same flag and stand in the same land.

[cheryz]

i agree with you crisi.. some videos i saw in the news feed in facebook i dont finished it why? because the man keep on firing even its already dead, its look like isnt a human who done that i feel get angry when i see that video again. so sad for those who killed

[jadegil6]

Another incident that happened today in Samal Island, which is just off the coast from Davao City in Southern Mindanao:

Gunmen kidnapped three foreign nationals and a Filipina from a resort on Samal Island in Davao del Norte, Monday night.

RGMA Davao's Raul Tolibas said that according to Superintendent Lito Impas of the Samal Island police, at least 20 armed men wearing balaclavas and black shirts stormed the Ocean View Resort in Barangay Camudmud, Babak district before 11 p.m.

Tolibas reported that the gunmen went door to door and snatched all of the occupants.

Tolibas said that according to Impas the gunmen initially took five people, but a Canadian named Steven and his Japanese wife, Kazuka, were able to jump from the kidnappers' boat. The couple is now confined at a district hospital on the island.

The four kidnapped victims were identified as Kjarten Sakkinstad, a Norwegian and operations manager of the resort; Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall and his Filipina wife identified only as Tess.

Impas told RGMA Davao that they were requesting a copy of the CCTV footage of the resort.

Tolibas said that according to Impas, the kidnappers could be members of the New People's Army or a local bandit group called BAMA or Bangsamoro Army, a mix of breakaway members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

Tolibas said that the kidnappers wrote the message: "Alay namin sa aming kumander" around the resort, before leaving with their captives.

Capt. Alberto Caber, chief of the public affairs office of the Armed Forces' Eastern Mindanao Command, said naval operations were ongoing to locate the kidnappers and their victims.

The local Philippine Coast Guard unit and the local police are also conducting pursuit operations.

In 2001, the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf tried but failed to abduct tourists from Samal Island's Pearl Farm. Three employees died when they engaged the raiding Abu Sayyaf men in a firefight.

Also in 2001, Abu Sayyaf bandits seized local and foreign tourists at the posh Dos Palmas resort in Palawan, including US missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham.

Returning to Basilan, the bandits took local hostages along the way, even escaping a military dragnet in Lamitan in June that same year.

The Dos Palmas hostage-taking drama ended June 2002 when government security forces stormed the bandits' lair in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. At the time, three remained as hostages — the Burnham couple and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap.

Martin and Ediborah, however, were caught in the crossfire. Gracia survived, but sustained a gunshot wound in her leg. —DVM/ALG, GMA News

[cheryz]

Why is it happening again! why they want to hostage foreigner? i really dont know what they thinking... maybe these people are crazy they dont contribute for the country but violence and frighten all people. Lets pray for the peace in southern mindanao. So sad about the news.

[jadegil6]

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian of the National People’s Coalition has warned law enforcement agencies of a “new wave of kidnappings” in Mindanao.

Gatchalian made the announcement in Valenzuela City and spoke openly about added security measures and the recent abduction of foreigners there.

Gatchalian particularly expressed alarm over the kidnapping Wednesday of Rolando del Torchio, a former priest, who was snatched from his pizza restaurant in Dipolog City.

Del Torchio’s abduction followed the September 21 kidnapping of two Canadian nationals, one Norwegian and a Filipino from a marina/resort in the usually security conscious Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte.

“There is now a trend in Mindanao where foreigners are being targeted for kidnapping. I hope these kidnap cases have nothing to do with the 2016 elections or with the forthcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit next month,” said Gatchalian, who is Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development.

He asked, “Whatever happened to the intensified police and military operations launched by the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines following the Samal kidnapping incident?”

The former Valenzuela City mayor urged Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, Gatchalian’s former colleague in the Lower House, to intensify security operations in Southern Philippines, particularly in areas frequented by foreign visitors.

Earlier, he asked Sarmiento to order the PNP to intensify security operations in Mindanao following the kidnapping last September of Kjartan Sekkingstad, a Norwegian and operations manager of the resort; Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall and his Filipina girlfriend identified only as Tess.

“The kidnappings of two Canadians, one Norwegian and the latest of which involves an Italian businessman will have an adverse effect not only on the country’s tourism but more so on the economy as potential foreign investors might decide not to push through with their business plans here due to security concerns,” explained Gatchalian.

The Canadian government has already advised Canadian nationals against traveling to the Davao region and nearby areas, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao due to what it said was a “serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping.”

Kidnapping of foreign nationals is not new in Mindanao and many of the past incidents were carried out by the terrorist bandit Abu Sayyaf Group.

[jadegil6]

The Abu Sayyaf have released a video showing the hostages who were abducted from Samal Island in Davao asking for help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=142&v=stWfdktDJNk
You will have to copy and paste this URL into your browser to view the youtube video.

Here is a photo of the rebels and the hostages.

Photo-release-960x720.jpg (138.96 KiB) Viewed 9164 times

[crisipicada]

Wow, this is very unkind of them. I cannot imagine how things going on. I still believe that heart matters. Unless their hearts will be changed, so with their mind and attitude. How would we change heart? We need Christ Jesus for us to be convicted of such bad heart. Remember, heart is deceitful, and sometimes, we think we are doing okay but after all we are acting badly. Just like when we feel revenge because we are hurt, but then I learn to let go. Because, after all, things will just past away. It needs to have a submissive heart to God for daily cleansing since, sin will mard or cover our good thinking and right attitude. Need to confess any unknown sins and unforgiven sins daily.

[cheryz]

This Abu sayaf are no Faith in God.whatever they did they never have heart to those people they became there hostages.
But I believe only prayers can change there minds about what they doing I hope they will realize God is there when for whatever they want to GOd will make a way for those hostages. I pray that God give them strength for wherever they may go and for abusayaf hope they will Chang there minds about hostage taking.