Abu Sayyaf threatens to behead two hostages

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - - Analiza Lingayan could not hold her emotion and wept as the Abu Sayyaf group holding captive her husband and brother-in-law in Sulu issued a 10-day ultimatum to behead the victims if they fail to pay the ransom that was reduced to P3 million.

Lingayan disclosed the ultimatum when she personally called up a local station of Brigada News FM Thursday appealing to the local government and the Sulu provincial government to help them secure the freedom of victims.

The victims Remegio Lingayan, 50, and Joselito Gonzales, working as laborers of a project of Sulu Vice Governor Sakur Tan, were abducted on June 4 in Indanan town by 7 gunmen believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping group.

The wife of Lingayan said the kidnappers called her up Wednesday and imposed the ultimatum for them to raise the amount of ransom before June 29 and warned to execute their hostages before Ramadan.

“Tumawag sila kahapon at ibinaba na ang kanilang ransom demand ng P3 million pero nagbigay sila ng 10 days ultimatum dahil kung hindi daw mabigay ang hiling nila puputulin nila ng ulo ang aking asawa at kasama niya,” Mrs. Lingayan said.

The kidnappers have originally demanded  P20 nillion and decreased their demand to P7 million after the victims’ families said they have no such money.

The Lingayans who are residents of Barangay Tumaga in  this city have even been soliciting coins from neighbors to raise up money to pay for the release of the victims.

Mrs. Lingayan said she also contacted the contractor where her husband was working but was told they could not pay the ranson.