No leads yet on kidnappers of Filipina, 3 foreigners in Davao

PHOTO from AFP Eastern Mindanao Command

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday they still have not identified the armed men who captured three foreigners and a Filipino woman in a luxury resort on Samal Island in Davao del Norte.

READ: Authorities believe Abu Sayyaf behind abduction of Filipina, 3 foreigners

“Wala pa pong natutukoy na grupo na nagsagawa nito (No group responsible [for the kidnapping] has been identified),” Armed Forces spokespeson Col. Restituto Padilla told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.

“Hindi pa po nagbibigay nang ano pang impormasyon na kumontak na yung nagsagawa ng kidnapping,” he added.

Based on CCTV records of the Holiday Oceanview Resort, Padilla said that 11 men with small firearms took the captives before midnight on Monday.

The foreigners were identified as John Ridsdel and Robert Hall from Canada and Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway. The Filipino woman was not identified.

Two Japanese nationals tried to prevent the abduction of the other nationals, Padilla said.

The captives were taken away by riding a motorboat but the direction was not known.

Padilla said the abductors could speak fluent English and Filipino.

“For the moment we can assure the public that the joint forces of government led by the police along with the air assets of the air force, the naval assets, are all working hand in hand together with our land forces,” he said.

When asked whether Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group blamed behind kidnappings and series of bombings in Western Mindanao, was behind the kidnapping, Padilla said they don’t have yet enough information about the abductors.

In 2001, the Abu Sayyaf tried but failed to kidnap foreigners in a resort on Samal Island.

In Sulu, the terrorist group is currently holding nine hostages– four foreigners and five locals. Frances Mangosing/TVJ