Abu Sayyaf snatches Sulu gov't chief mechanic, kills assistant

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Heavily armed Abu Sayyaf militants snatched the chief mechanic of the Sulu provincial government and executed his assistant during a daring raid near the capitol, Saturday night.

The latest kidnap victim was identified as Ronald Pelegrin, chief mechanic of the provincial government. His slain assistant was Renante Avilla. Both victims are natives of Zamboanga City.

Pelegrin's wife, Emily, said that the Abu Sayyaf bandits have made contact and demanded P15 million for the release of the victim.

The victims were already resting at their quarters, where they were staying with their wives and relatives, near the capitol in Patikul town when the bandits arrived at around 10:30 p.m.

“They kicked the door [of our quarters] and seized my husband at gunpoint,” Emily said in the local dialect.

Avilla, meanwhile, was seized from another room. The bandits shot him when he tried to resist.

The authorities have launched search and rescue operations for Pelegrin.