Sayyaf, Vagni, slip military cordon?
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines / Roland Ramos-–Police in Sulu are verifying reports the Abu Sayyaf, together with its remaining hostage has slipped a cordon in Indanan after police and civilian emergency forces “recovered” one of the two Red Cross hostage Saturday morning in Indanan.
Earlier, sources who requested not be named claimed the Abu Sayyaf was able to move to Maimbung, Sulu and adjacent town of Indanan. The remaining European hostage was transported with a mule hours before Swiss Andreas Notter was “rescued” in the border of Barangays Katian and Mangilup, in Indanan by Police and CEF.
Police and civilian volunteers tightened the “cordon” for possible escape of the Abu Sayyaf under the cover of continued rains in Sulu island. “It is hard to remain on guard because of heavy rains,” said Police Provincial Director, P/Sr. Supt. Jalasirin Kasim.
He however believed the group, together with its remaining hostage, could still be roaming in the jungles of Indanan and has not slipped away.
The police have become more vigilant after the Abu Sayyaf failed to escape the cordon, Kasim said.
Around 2,500 Civilian Emergency Forces (CEF) are helping two Battalions of Philippine Marines, two companies of special operation troops – Marine’s Reconnaissance and Army’s Light Reaction Company (LRC) together with the augmented 2 companies of PNP’s elite forces, the Special Action Force.
The source claimed, Vagni’s group was in Maimbung hours before Notter’s purported “rescue” in Indanan, after the Abu Sayyaf tried to break the security cordon.
The Abu Sayyaf has accordingly split into “six groups” with the first group having stationed near the border of Indanan and Maimbung a week earlier. “Doon sila nakakakuha ng signal ng cellphone (It is there where they can secure [communication] signal through cell phone),” the source added.
Notter just expressed concern on Vagni’s condition but did not mention whether they were together for the last few hours or days before he was “recovered”.
Notter and Vagni were kidnapped along with another Red Cross worker, Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba on Jan. 15 after inspecting a humanitarian project at a prison in Patikul town.
Lacaba was “freed” on April 2 as a compliance to earlier promise after a demanded troop pull out but allegations claim ransom was paid in exchange of her freedom. (Roland Ramos, The PhilSouth Angle)
