2 foreign tourists, Filipino guide kidnapped in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines —Two foreigners and a Filipino were kidnapped in Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday noon, police said.

Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, police chief of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, identified the victims as bird watchers Elwold Horn, 52, from Holland; Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, from Switzerland; and Ivan Sadenas of Davao.

The victims were taken by five heavily armed men mid-sea in Sitio Look-Look in the village of Parangan.

Latag could still not say who were behind the kidnapping.

Governor Sadikul Sahali immediately ordered authorities to go after the kidnappers and their victims who fled on a pumpboat.

Sahali said the two foreigners and the Davao-based tourist guide have been staying in the Panglima Sugala in the past two weeks for bird watching activities.

“The foreigners were interested in various birds species in Panglima Sugala because it was only there that they saw some endangered species,” the governor said.

Sahali said the victims were on their way to the mainland when another boat with armed men intercepted them at sea.

Sahali said the victims were with a policeman, a village councilman and a pumpboat operator when the kidnapping happened.

“Pinalundag ng mga armado ang mga kasama nito at kinuha lang ang tatlo (The armed men made the others jump off the boat and took the three),” he said.

He added that the kidnapping would definitely have a negative impact on the town’s economy.