Two Misor, Oro men in Abu Sayyaf hands

By NITZ ARANCON and LITO RULONA
Correspondents

AUTHORITIES yesterday confirmed that the Abu Sayyaf has threatened to behead two Coast Guard personnel from this city and Misamis Oriental, and a barangay chairman unless the extremist group received a ransom. The captives––Seaman 2nd class Gringo Villaruz of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Seaman 1st class Rod Allain Daba Pagaling of Zone 10, Upper Carmen, and barangay chairman of Aliquay, Dipolog City––went missing in May. No one knew they were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf until their a video was uploaded on Facebook. The victims were snatched in May 4 from Aliguay Island off Dapitan City.

Pagaling’s sister Joy confirmed that one of the captives in the video is his younger brother. She said the abductors called her family up on Wednesday to inform them that the video has been uploaded with a threat that the victims would be beheaded unless they paid up the ransom. “Nag-text pud. Nag-tinagalog. Akong gitawagan pero wala na namo ma-contact,” she said. The video went viral on social media on Wednesday. In the video, the blindfolded, half-naked captives, took turns in begging the government on their knees for help. The Abu Sayyaf reportedly demanded for P3 million each or P9 million. Another report said the abductors sought a P10-million ransom.

The abductors were masked, and one was even holding a machete against the neck of one of the victims. One of the victims said, “I am Rod Pagaling of the Coast Guard. I am appealing to the government and the President for help. President Aquino, help us… especially Sir Isorena,” he said in mixed Tagalog and Bisaya. “Sir Isorena” is Coast Guard Commandant Rear Admiral Rudy Isorena. Pagaling added: “They will kill us; have pity on us. Have pity on our families; help us.” Villaruz also made a similar appeal, saying their captors were serious about the threats to behead them.

Barangay chairman Boligao, for his part, appealed to Dapitan officials and former congressman Romeo Jalosjos and his son Rep. Bullet Jalosjos to save them. The Coast Guard commander in the region, Sigmund Duque, said they were unaware that their missing men were taken captive until the video was uploaded this week. Duque said there was a standing government policy against ransom payments but said other law enforcement groups have started working, and “backdoor negotiations” were being initiated to secure the release of the captives. Duque said the abductors asked for P3 million each for the two Coast Guard men and P4 million for the barangay chairman.
He said the Coast Guard has started closely coordinating with law enforcement groups, military and civilian authorities.

“The last information we got was, the captives are alive and are being moved from one place to another,” Duque said.
Chief Supt. Lyndel Desquitado, police director for northern Mindanao, have ordered security to be stepped up in Cagayan de Oro and elsewhere in the region. Desquitado said Camp Alagar was closely coordinating with the Anti-Kidnapping Task Force in Region 9. Camp Alagar has directed the police in Misamis Occidental to step up security in Calamba and Sapang Dalaga towns, and to inspect vehicles entering and leaving Region 10.