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By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent

THE common law wife of a coast guard from Cagayan de Oro who was snatched by the Abu Sayyaf is worried even as she called on the government to act in the wake of reports that members of the extremist group beheaded one of their captives in Sulu. Twenty-eight-year old Judith Pradia called on authorities to exert efforts to ensure that her partner, Coast Guard Seaman 1st class Rod Alain Daba Pagaling of Upper Carmen, would remain unhurt and freed.

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Pagaling and Pradia, who have a three-year old daughter named Allana, have built a home in Carmen, this city. The two were scheduled to get married but their scheduled wedding did not push through because of the May 4 abduction in Barangay Aliguay, Dapitan City.

Pagaling was snatched together with another coast guard, Seaman 2nd class Gringo Villaruz, from Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, and Rodolfo Boligao, a barangay chairman in Dapitan.

On Wednesday, the military confirmed that Boligao was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf, and that the barangay chairman’s remains have been found.

Boligao’s family has appealed to the Aquino administration to give them justice. Boligao’s body was found at past 9 pm Tuesday in the remote village of Lunggang, Maimbung, Sulu, said Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander.

A written note was found in Boligao’s remains which read “Rodolfo Boligao barangay chairman of Aliguay Island, Dapitan City.”

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II made an on-air appeal to the Abu Sayyaf to release Pagaling and Villaruz. He told DxIF-Bombo Radyo that the Abu Sayyaf should at least get in touch and open communication lines with the two captives’ families.

Pagaling’s sister Joy met with Roxas at the radio station where she poured out her emotions and sought the official’s help. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District yesterday appealed to the Abu Sayyaf to spare the lives of Pagaling and Villaruz, and free them for humanitarian reasons. He said the government has a noansom policy.

Rodriguez earlier asked the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to help in efforts to save the captives. The congressman also called on the government to work for the arrest of those responsible for the killing of Boligao.
“Prosecute them, and jail them,” Rodriguez said.

He also said he was convinced that the Abu Sayyaf would be weakened, and its abductions would stop the moment the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is approved by Congress.

Condemn
In Cotabato City, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) Gov. Mujiv Hataman condemned the beheading in Sulu, describing it as “nothing but an evil and cowardly act of terrorism.”

“We condemn this heartless and inhuman brutality committed by Abu Sayyaf, a group whose only desire is to sow terror among our people,” Hataman said in a statement. “We offer our condolences to the family of Rodolfo Boligao, the recent victim of a heinous attack. For you we pray for courage and peace as we join your clamor for justice.”

Hataman ordered the Sulu police provincial office to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to justice, “and these attacks must be stopped immediately.” (with reports from hussein macatoro and pna)

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