ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A Dutch birdwatcher was killed by his Abu Sayyaf captors when he tried to escape as the bandits clashed with soldiers in Sulu yesterday.
Maj. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo, Joint Task Force Sulu and 11th Infantry Division chief, said Ewold Horn and a female bandit who tried to chase him were shot in Sitio Bud Sub-Sub, Barangay Pansul, Patikul.
Pabayo said the woman fatality was identified as the second wife of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Radullan Sahiron, Mingayan.
“After an hour and 30 minutes of gunbattle, troops recovered the remains of Horn and Mingayan,” he said.
The bodies of the victims were brought to the AFP Station Hospital at Camp Bautista in Barangay Bus-bus, Jolo.
The military said the encounter also left seven bandits dead. Twenty others, eight of them soldiers, were wounded.
The military deployed helicopters to evacuate the wounded and provide air support to soldiers pursuing the bandits.
Pabayo said soldiers belonging to the 32nd Infantry Battalion led by Lt. Col. Mateo were on combat patrol when they encountered around 30 bandits led by Sahiron.
Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, Joint Task Force Sulu spokesman, said they are validating reports that Sahiron was among those wounded.
“The troops almost recovered Horn. It was unfortunate that he was killed,” Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) spokesman, said.
Longest held captive
Horn is the longest held captive of the Abu Sayyaf. He was kidnapped along with fellow birdwatchers Swiss Lorenzo Vinciguerra and Filipino Ivab Sarenas on Feb. 1, 2012 in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi.
Sarenas managed to jump overboard and escaped.
Vinciguerra was rescued on Dec. 6, 2014 after he escaped during a military operation also in Patikul. He said Horn was “too weak” to escape at the time.
“We condemn the inhumane acts carried out by Abu Sayyaf members against their captives and the innocent in Sulu. They perpetrate violence without compunction and in blatant disregard for human life,” Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Westmincom chief, said.
“We extend our sincere commiseration with the bereaved family of Horn who died in the hands of his captors,” Dela Vega added. He said military operations in Sulu would continue to rescue the remaining hostages. – With Jaime Laude