By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines: The Philippines’ military is verifying a video in which militants threaten to execute another foreign hostage unless a ransom is paid, three weeks after the Daesh-linked Abu Sayyaf beheaded a Canadian captive.
Spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla told reporters Monday that government forces are continuing combat operations to press the militant group to release hostages believed to be held in Jolo island in the southern island province of Sulu.
"We have not stopped, there is no letup in ongoing operations and will not cease on doing this until we are able to make these personalities or these bandits and criminals accountable for their actions," the state-run Philippines News Agency quoted him saying.
In the video -- the latest to be released since two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina were kidnapped off southern Mindanao island in September -- the captors threaten to kill one of the remaining foreigners unless a 600 million peso ($12.9 million) ransom is paid by 3 p.m. (0700GMT) on June 13.
The video, posted on the SITE intelligence group’s website, shows masked gunmen holding a black flag with Daesh’s logo standing behind Canadian Robert Hall and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad.
“I appeal to my government and the Philippine government, as I have appealed before, for help,” Canadian Robert Hall says.
“We encourage all those other parties who are negotiating to please desist from paying,” Padilla insisted Monday. “We only strengthen these groups [through ransom payments].”
On April 25, the Abu Sayyaf beheaded 68-year-old Canadian John Ridsdel after a 300-million peso ransom failed to be paid.
Since then, militants belonging to the group have released 14 Indonesian sailors captured in two separate hijackings off the south Philippines.
The Abu Sayyaf is believed to still be holding several captives, including four Malaysian crew seized from a vessel in early April, and a Dutch national kidnapped more than three years ago in Tawi-Tawi.
Since 1991, the group -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
AA
