Filipino guide refuses to leave Taw-Tawi until 2 foreign tourists are rescued

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Ivan Sarenas, the Filipino bird watcher-guide, who told authorities he escaped when he and his two European companions were kidnapped at sea on Tuesday following their two-week expedition in Tawi-Tawi, has refused to leave the island province.

“I am not going to leave Tawi-Tawi until I see my colleagues free and safe,” Sarenas told the Inquirer by phone on Friday, referring to fellow bird watchers Ewold Horn, 52, of The Netherlands and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, of Switzerland.

Before the abduction, Sarenas guided the two Europeans through the upper reaches of Panglima Sugala town and stayed there for 14 days to photograph and document Tawi-Tawi’s rare bird species such as the hornbill, blue-winged rocket tail parrot, Philippine cockatoo, brown dove and cock owl.

Sarenas, a native of Davao City but based in Manila, said he was willing to join the search and rescue operation, if allowed to do so, because he could assist, especially in identifying the suspects.

“I remember how they looked like so I can probably help,” he said.

On Tuesday, Sarenas, Horn and Vinciguerra, together with Police Officer 1 Nuldin Bacon and barangay captain Nestor Cabaluas, had just left Panglima Sugala and were traveling by pumpboat toward Bongao town when gunmen on board another boat blocked their path at around 1 p.m.

The gunmen ordered Bacon, who was in plainclothes, Cabaluas and their boatman to jump into the waters before seizing the boat with Sarenas and the foreigners onboard.

Several hours later, Sarenas escaped by diving deep in the waters, to avoid detection, and swam toward Languyan Island, where he was found by a group of fishermen.

“My conscience cannot allow that I leave this place and return to my normal activities while my friends are being held in captivity,” he said.

Sarenas said he believed that the kidnappers and the European victims were still within the Tawi-Tawi area.

Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (Dipo) in Western Mindanao, also issued a similar statement.

“They are still in Tawi-Tawi. They cannot cross to Sulu because of the tight security and naval blockade,” Khu said.

Von Al Haq, spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said they had mobilized their members in Tawi-Tawi to help in the search and rescue operation.

Under the peace process, the MILF has to help in anti-crime operations in its claimed territories.

“Our men are doing everything. They are gathering vital information that will lead to the recovery of the hostages,” Al Haq said.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said Sarenas was very cooperative in the rescue efforts but he did not say if the escaped kidnap victim was allowed to join the operation.

Sahali also said the Swiss and the Dutch governments were closely monitoring the development of the search and rescue operation.

Sarenas said his experience would not deter him from returning to Tawi-Tawi because as a bird watcher, he knew the province has bird species not seen in other areas.

In fact, he said his immediate plan would be to go to Sulu after his colleagues had been rescued so he could search for a rare species of ground known as a “bleeding heart.”

“This bird is considered a lost bird,” he said. With a report from Jeoffrey Maitem, Inquirer Mindanao