After Razak, Aquino confirms Malaysian beheaded

KUALA LUMPUR—President Benigno Aquino III has confirmed that Abu Sayyaf extremists had beheaded a Malaysian national they held captive since May, promising that security forces would go after the perpetrators.

Mr. Aquino confirmed the report after hearing Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak condemn the beheading of Bernard Then as Razak opened the 27th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leaders Summit here.

“President Aquino has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police to further intensify operations against the Abu Sayyaf and other terror threat elements,” Malacañang spokesperson Herminio Coloma said in a statement to reporters.

“The Philippines extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family and stands in solidarity with Malaysia and Asean in resolutely fighting terrorism,” he added.

Coloma said he issued the statement in reaction to Najib’s mention of the beheading as he addressed the nine other leaders of the region and their guests for the 27th Asean Leaders Summit.

Aside from the Philippines and Malaysia, the other Asean members are Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Laos.

It was the first time the Philippines confirmed the beheading that was first reported on Nov. 17, the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders meeting hosted by Manila.

Security officials have said they were investigating the report which Najib readily condemned, calling on the authorities to “take action against those who perpetrated this savage and barbaric act and ensure that they are brought to justice.”

Reports said Then, a 39-year-old electrical engineer, and a Malaysian woman were abducted from a Chinese restaurant in Sandakan in Sabah in May and taken to Jolo, Sulu.

The Abu Sayyaf reportedly freed the woman on Nov. 8 after ransom was paid.

Casts shadow on world

In his opening statement as summit host, Najib said the recent attacks perpetrated by Islamic State extremists in Paris and Beirut, the bombing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt and the hostage-taking in Mali had cast a shadow on the world.

“Just this week, an innocent Malaysian was beheaded in the southern Philippines,” he added.

“We are very vigilant against a threat that is very real in our region. Local militants and groups such as the Abu Sayyaf have sworn allegiance to the so-called Islamic State. It was they who cruelly murdered our countryman, Bernard Then, on Tuesday,” he said.

The Malaysian leader said a purely military solution against the Islamic State would not be enough, saying the wrong ideology perpetrated by extremists “is the cause of this sadistic violence.”

Meanwhile, the AFP and the PNP are just awaiting conclusive forensics reports before confirming if the severed head recovered in Sulu last week was that of Malaysian Then.

In a press briefing in Pasay City Thursday, PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said the remains “are now being examined by the crime laboratory of the Police Regional Office in the [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] for identification.”

“Pending official scientific findings, at this point we cannot conclusively establish the identity of the human remains to preclude undue speculation and inaccuracy in reporting,” Mayor said.

The PNP spokesperson confirmed that police recovered a package along Marina Street, Barangay Walled City, in Jolo that was marked “Bernard Ghen Ted Fen.” Opening it, they found a human head.

Earlier, the PNP in a statement said it recovered a headless body on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in Barangay Kagay, Indanan, Sulu. On Friday, however, the PNP debunked its own statement as “sketchy information.”

“Ongoing operations are focused in Indanan for possible recovery of a headless body that is reportedly buried in the area,” the PNP and the AFP clarified in their last joint statement on the matter.