Credit: Reuters
The Philippine armed forces on Tuesday (April 26) expressed sympathy over the execution of a Canadian hostage by Islamist militants in the southern Philippines, as military operations continue to secure the remaining captives.
John Ridsdel, 68, a former mining executive, was captured by Islamist militants along with three other people in September 2015 while on vacation on a Philippine island.
The Philippine army said a severed head was found on a remote island on Monday (April 25), five hours after the expiry of a ransom deadline set by militants who had threatened to execute one of four captives.
Philippine armed forces spokesperson Noel Detoyato read the statement at a news conference in Manila.
“We extend our sympathy and condolences to the Canadian government and to the family and friends of Mr. John Ridsdel who died in the hands of the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) bandits. There will be no let up in the determined efforts of the joint AFP-PNP (Armed Forces of the Philippines- Philippine National Police) task force intensive military and law enforcement operations to neutralize these lawless elements and thwart further threats to peace and security. The full force of the law will be used to bring these criminals to justice,” he said.
“They are still holding some kidnap victims, so we are conducting focused military operations on specific targets and the primordial concern of the ground troops is the safety of the kidnap victims,” Detoyato added.
Presidential spokesperson Herminio Coloma issued a statement on Tuesday expressing sympathy to the canadian government and family of Ridsel, saying that President Benigno Aquino has directed the security forces to bring the criminals to justice.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the execution of the Canadian hostage, calling it “an act of cold-blooded murder.”
Residents found the head in the center of Jolo town. An army spokesman said two men on a motorcycle were seen dropping a plastic bag containing the severed head.
A Philippine army spokesman said al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants had threatened to behead one of four captives on Monday if the 300 million pesos ($6.4 million) ransom for each of them was not paid by 3 p.m. local time (0700gmt).
The initial demand was one billion pesos each for the detainees, who were taken hostage at an upscale resort on Samal Island on September 21.
Abu Sayyaf is a small but brutal militant group known for beheading, kidnapping, bombing and extortion in the south of the mainly Catholic country.
It decapitated a hostage from Malaysia in November last year on the same day that country’s prime minister arrived in Manila for an international summit.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino ordered troops to intensify action against the militants.
Security is precarious in the southern Philippines, despite a 2014 peace pact between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group that ended 45 years of conflict.
Abu Sayyaf is also holding other foreigners, including one from the Netherlands, one from Japan, four Malaysians and 14 Indonesian tugboat crew.
Reuters