2 workers seized by suspected Sayyaf gunmen in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY - - Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen seized two workers of a private construction firm Monday afternoon in a village of Patikul town, Sulu, a military officer said.

Col. Jose Joriel Cenabre, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu and 2nd Marine Brigade, identified one of the two victims of the latest abduction incident as Espada Sali, driver of a mixer truck, and his unidentified helper.

Their abduction came barely 17 days when the same group also seized a truck driver and his crew in the same village and released the victims five days later after payment for “board and lodging” fees.

Cenabre said the latest victims were on board their mixer truck when they were flagged down by 10 gunmen, some of them wearing masks, about 2:30 p.m, Monday at sitio Santol, Barangay Latih, Patikul town.

The military officer said one of the suspects was identified as Roger Saji.

The gunmen ordered the victims to alight from the truck at gunpoint  and forcibly took them, said Cenabre.

The abductors with the captives were monitored to have fled toward the direction of Barangay Maligay, a village adjacent only to area where the abduction took place.

Cenabre said intelligence units have been mobilized to track down the location of the suspects and their captives.