Abus behead 3 Basilan villagers

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded three villagers yesterday morning, a day after seizing them in the mountains of Basilan, authorities said.

The victims were identified as Daduh Lumatang, Manuel Lumasag, and Elpejo Amemenzi, son of a church minister in Maluso town.

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad quoted a text message forwarded to him by a priest that the bodies of the three villagers were recovered in Barangay Abong-Abong, Maluso town yesterday morning.

Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, commander of anti-terror Joint Task Force Trillium, confirmed the report on the beheading by the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Puruji Indama.

Investigation showed that the three villagers were gathering flitches in the hinterland of Sitio Pali, Barangay Abong-Abong last Friday afternoon when the Abu Sayyaf bandits snatched them, said Senior Superintendent Antonio Mendoza, Basilan police director.

“This is a total desecration of human life; it’s painful,” Bishop Jumoad said, adding that the Abu Sayyaf seems to be trying to “gauge the patience of the Christians.”

Jumoad lamented that the death of the three villagers came nine days after Indama’s group also executed three other civilian captives in the mountains of Sumisip town.

Pama said the latest beheading was a desperate attempt on the part of the Abu Sayyaf to slow down the military offensive against it.

“It’s unfortunate that it happened, but this will not slow down our resolve to flush them out. This also showed how desperate these people are to stop us,” Pama said.

Brig. Gen. Eugene Clemen, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said the three villagers had been forewarned not to venture into the area, which is a known haven of Abu Sayyaf bandits.

The three victims, according to Clemen, were arrested last March for smuggling lumber but were released with a warning not to venture into the area again.

“We advised them not to engage in poaching flitches because it was illegal, besides (being) dangerous because the area is known to be hideout of the Abu Sayyaf,” Clemen said.

Clement said the victims’ relatives went up the mountains of Maluso town to retrieve the bodies.

Meanwhile, Clemen said pursuit operations were ongoing against Indama and his followers in the mountains of Sumisip town where they fled to after executing their three captives.   – With Jaime Laude