Hope dims for kidnapped Chinese

DATU PIGLAS, Maguindanao – Hope appears to be dimming for the rescue of a Chinese and a Filipino from a kidnapping group calling itself the "Pentagon."

Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, Armed Forces spokesman, told reporters yesterday North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol no longer believes that Zhang Zhung Yi and Edwin Lim could be rescued if the mi-litary attacks the kidnappers’ hideout.

"Their captors are extremely ruthless," Adan said. "They can kill the captives again if cornered by pursuing policemen and soldiers."

This developed as officials of Barangay Datu Piglas and Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat doubted the existence of a group called the Pentagon. The officials said they did not know any Tausug member named Abu Hamsa, who claims to speak for the group.

"We are convinced that this Abu Hamsa and the Pentagon are just opportunists trying to make money out of the situation," a source said.

Another source in Barangay Bunawan in Columbio said the kidnap gang is being financed by two scions of an influential family in Maguindanao.

The military, meanwhile, accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday of involvement in the kidnapping and killing of two other Chinese in Sultan Kudarat.

Piñol, chairman of the crisis management committee assigned to rescue the two victims, told The STAR yesterday he has informed the Chinese consulate in Davao City that he could no longer assure that police and Army troops can rescue Zhang alive.

"The consulate seems to understand the situation," he said. "Right now the dangers being faced by the two captives are so extreme."

Adan said the 15-man "Pentagon" group is led by Tahir Alonto and has the support of a 50-man MILF band under Kagi Abbas and another group headed by Andi and Kautin Montawal.

Alonto was arrested in Sarangani Province in 1999 by troops from the Army’s 601st Brigade and has gone into hiding after his gangmates sprung him out of the provincial jail.

Quoting Piñol, Adan said the kidnappers are comprised of at least three armed groups operating in the Maguindanao-Cotabato–Sultan Kudarat triangle.

"We have reason to believe that (Piñol) is correct," he said.

Last Saturday, Lim’s wife Vina said she appealed to the kidnappers to release him without any ransom since he is just an interpreter receiving a measly P10,000 a month.

"He (Lim) is just an ordinary interpreter for Chinese workers of the firm constructing the irrigation facility," she said.

Vina said the kidnappers might have mistaken Lim for either of his two namesakes in Davao City, who both own big business establishments.

Adan said the military will continue the operation to rescue Zhang and Lim, who are believed to be held in the Liguasan Marsh straddling Maguindanao, despite the ceasefire between the government and the MILF.

"Operations are ongoing to secure the Chinese hostages," he said. "This is not against the MILF but against criminals, kidnappers and terrorists. If it happens that they are with the MILF, that’s only incidental. The AFP will continue to discharge its responsibility of conducting internal security operations and preserving peace and order regardless of what group is there."

Lim, along with Zhang Zhung Yi, Xue Xing and Wang Sheng Li, were kidnapped in Datu Piglas last month while about to pay a P5 million ransom for the release of Zhang Zhung Quiang, who was later killed, in an encounter between government troops and the kidnappers. — With Paolo Romero