Abu Sayyaf beheads village chief

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Abu Sayyaf militants have beheaded a village chief they kidnapped last May, a military official said yesterday. 

Rodolfo Bulagao’s decapitated body and his  severed head were found in Barangay Labah in Maimbung town at 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, said Navy Capt. Roy Vincent Trinidad, chief of staff of Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Joint Task Force Zambasulta.

“The reports we received was there was failure of negotiation,” Trinidad said.

He said Bulagao’s remains were brought to the Sulu Provincial Hospital before being turned over to his family.

Chief Inspector Walter Anayo, Maimbung  police chief, said a piece of paper with the victim’s name written on it was placed on top of the body.

“It appears he was beheaded right there on the road,” Sulu police chief Senior Superintendent Mario Buyuccan, told AFP. “The body was intentionally left in the middle of the road so that people could find it.”

Bulagao, chief of Barangay Aliguay Island, was seized along with Coast Guard personnel Seaman 2nd Class Gringo Villaruz and Seaman 1st Class Rod Pagaling on an island resort off Dapitan City on May 4 and brought to Sulu. The victims were monitoring the arrival of vessels ferrying visitors to the island when they were seized.

Last June, the militants threatened to execute one of their captives if their ransom demand was not met. 

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado said the militants led by Abu Sayyaf commander Yassir Igasan have threatened to kill Villaruz and Pagaling anytime.

Earlier reports said the bandits negotiated with the family of Bulagao and demanded a P500,000 ransom. There were no reports on the ransom demand for the two Coast Guard personnel.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding 11 hostages, including Dutch birdwatcher Elwold Horns, Malaysian Thien Nyuk Fun, Cambodian Bernard Then Ted Fen, Korean businessman Noui Hong Sung, Japanese Toshio Ito, and Mayor Gemma Adana of Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay. – With AP