ABDUCTION ON SAMAL ISLAND. Armed men abducted Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, with Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor (inset photos), Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad on the Island Garden City of Samal, just off Davao City, on Monday night. Photo taken on Sept. 19 shows the Norwegian shipbuilder and caretaker of Oceanview Marina posing beside his newly finished catamaran twin-hull yacht at Barangay Camudmud on Samal Island. INSET PHOTOS COURTESY OF AFP EASTERN MINDANAO COMMAND/FACEBOOK
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Calling it a “satanic act,” Muslim leaders in the country condemned on Tuesday the beheading of a Canadian national who was taken captive by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu.
Alih Aiyub, secretary general of the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP), said the continuing barbaric acts of the group is appalling.
“We, the Ulama Conference of the Philippines, strongly condemn this barbaric and satanic act the beheading of the Canadian hostage by ASG, which we consider one of the terrorist groups,” Aiyub said.
On Tuesday dawn, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that death of John Ridsdel who was beheaded by the group in the island province of Sulu.
READ: Trudeau condemns ‘cold-blooded murder’ of Canadian hostage in PH
Ridsdel’s head was allegedly found inside a plastic bag left on a street in Jolo on Monday.
He was taken captive by Abu Sayyaf members who attacked a marina in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte. Also taken were Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkinstad and Hall’s Filipina girlfriend Tess Flor on September 21 last year.
READ: Head of ‘Abu Sayyaf captive’ dumped on Sulu street – police
In November, the ASG beheaded Malaysian captive Bernard Then whose severed head was recovered in Indanan town in Sulu.
His execution was reportedly carried out after his family failed to meet the demands of the kidnappers. Then was kidnapped along with Thien Nyuk Fun in a restaurant in Sandakan in May last year.
Thien was released before Then was beheaded.
NUCP said that while they pray for the safety of the remaining captives, the government must utilize all available resources to ensure their safety and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“And we pray for the safety of the remaining hostages and call upon the authorities to exert efforts in saving the remaining hostages and to punish these terrorists,” Aiyub said. RAM
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