September 23, 2015•Update: September 23, 2015
By Hader Glang and Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
A local government chief executive has said he believes the Abu Sayyaf was behind the kidnapping of three foreigners and a Filipina from a southern Philippines resort, and not an armed communist group as first reported.
The Norwegian and two Canadians -- and the partner of one of them -- were abducted late Monday after a number of armed men aboard a motorboat arrived at the Ocean View Resort on Samal Island before going door-to-door and snatching the occupants.
Late Tuesday, local mayor Aniano Antalan told reporters he does not believe the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, was behind the abduction.
Local police chief Senior Supt. Samuel Gadingan has said that that the group had left behind a note saying the kidnapping was in retaliation for the death of a commander.
“In their [note] they claimed they’re NPA but they have no means of pulling off such kidnapping. They’re not known to use speedboats,” the Inquirer quoted Antalan as saying.
Historically, the communist insurgent group does not leave behind handwritten notes but issues formal statements and sends these to media outlets to announce or deny it perpetrated an act.
On Wednesday, it was reported that one of the two Canadian captives is president of TVI Minerals Processing, Inc., a firm providing mineral mining services, with business interests in Mindanao.
TVI, which first operated a gold and silver mine in the south, is the Philippine affiliate of TVI Pacific, Inc., a publicly listed Canadian mining company focused on the exploration and production of precious and base metals from district-scale, large-system, high-margin projects located in the Philippines.
The Canadian government has called on its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution" when in the country.
A Foreign Ministry advisory read that Canada advises against travel to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, consisting of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao "due to the serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping."
With the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit taking place in Manila in November, the Philippines government has sought to appease any safety fears following the abduction.
“The Philippines is committed to hosting a successful APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting by implementing security measures that would ensure the safety of all APEC Leaders, delegates and guests,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
