ZAMBOANGA CITY – Suspected Abu Sayyaf extremists abducted two servicemen contracted by a telecommunications firm in Basilan in the latest in a rash of such kidnappings in the province, police said yesterday.
Two servicemen working for Globe Telecom were abducted somewhere along the boundary of Tuburan and Mohammad Ajul towns on Wednesday, said Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, Basilan police director.
Macapantar said he suspected that the two, Pilardo Tolentino and Jason Constancia, both residents of Lantawan town, were kidnapped by the same gang that seized and then freed five workers of the Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) just weeks ago, reportedly receiving a hefty ransom as well.
“It appears that they are making kidnapping as a cottage industry and this must be stopped,” Macapantar warned, without identifying the group he believed responsible.
Macapantar met with Col. Rustico Guerrero, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade, to map out an offensive against the kidnappers.
The two victims and nine other contracted servicemen went to Barangay Languyan in Mohammad Ajul town to inspect a site but armed men blocked them on their way back and seized the two.
Reports said the kidnappers, believed belonging to the group of “lost command” leaders Nur Hassan Jamiri and Usman Lidjal, with links to Abu Sayyaf, have demanded P3-million ransom.
The group was also tagged in the ransom kidnapping of Zamboanga City businessman Inocente Bautista last May 27.
Authorities are still tracking down Tuburan nurse Preciosa Feliciano, 24, who was snatched in Zamboanga City last June 7.
In recent years, the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist gang with links to the al-Qaeda terror network, carried out a string of kidnappings for ransom in the south, mainly targeting foreigners and Christians. Some of the victims, including foreigners, were killed in captivity.– Roel Pareño