Here we go again
Well, unfortunately, yesterday there was a kidnapping incident in Jolo, Sulu. It seems that these things happen every time that the Peace and Order situation starts to calm down a little bit. Three members of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) were in Sulu to tend to humanitarian situations there. They were visiting a jail in Sulu, when they were kidnapped.Those kidnapped were:
Andreas Notter, a 38 year old Swiss national. Notter is the head of the Zamboanga City Office of the ICRC.
Eugenio Vagni, a 62 year old Sanitation and Water Engineer working for the ICRC.
Mary Jean Lacaba, a 37 year old Filipina ICRC Field Officer.
Current speculation is that the kidnapping was carried out by the Abu Sayyaf Group, an Al Qaeda linked terrorist organization that operates in that part of Mindanao
Sulu is one of the only places in Mindanao that I have yet to visit, and I really want to go there. However, with the current situation, this is not the right time for me to go there. I feel rather certain that these ICRC people must have had some security people with them on this journey, so it is not a good sign for me to possibly visit.
I hope that this kidnapping is resolved quickly. The Philippine Government seems to be taking this very sincerely, and is showing a lot of concern. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is in pursuit of the kidnapping group, or so they say. In the past, such kidnappings have gone on for months, even years.
I think I’ll be staying away from Sulu for now.
Bob,
For as long as Abu Sayyaf is alive and well, kidnappings will always happen. The ransom monies paid are very lucrative, easy business for these type of people who knew nothing but take up arms and victimized the innocents.
How I wish all these killings and kidnappings will be over. Philippines is a beautiful country, let’s take good care of it.
And how I wish all AS will be face out entire Jolo and Sulu. The Joloano’s deserve to live a peaceful life. And the AS had recently burnt down some schools in Patikul. Toooo bad!
Hi amanda – I could not agree more!
Jolo kidnap, not only problem;
As of the most recent events Feb 8, ‘09 islamists kidnaped my fellow country man Piotr Stanczak in Pakistan, and these criminals beheaded innocent men because they want to make some psychedelic point to their own government.
I don’t think that Abu this or that is the problem. The core “religious” belief of these psycho-maniacs is the problem. Even peaceful Muslims, are murdered by these psychopaths.
This created a crime chain reactions in the Philippines, and it is all the shame on the Filipino government for lock of action.
I still don’t understand, why the Islamist extremists can bare the arms in the Philippines, and non Muslims can not bare the arms to protect them selves against such a things like the kidnap mention in this discussion.
In Europa we learned during WWll that giving in to criminals like Hitler and Stalin, and today to Osama and Abu Sayyaf, didn’t accomplished anything except mass murders. Can Filipinos, that include Filipino Muslims to learn from our mistakes?
Hi Bob and all,
Most of the kidnappers and murderers in Jolo cannot even called a Muslims who follow the pathway of Islam. They are Satanist! They are bunch of lost command groups, thieves, and drug users whom I considered as evil. Muslims or Non-Muslims who did such barbaric act are nothing but a sickhead.
I pray for their total face out coz WE are sick of them. I hope our Government Military Armed Forces will do more efforts to track down these idi@t$.
Aaaahhh, I’m dreaming again
Hi Czeslaw – I don’t think that it is accurate that Islam is the problem. As you pointed out yourself in your comment, there are many peace loving people of Islam. The extremists are certainly a problem in any religion, but thankfully are the minority.
Amen Amanda..
Hi Bob. I heard of this incident from my source in Mindanao.
I think it is time the people carrying out these acts, whether they are Terrorist, Government or otherwise sponsored, were alerted to the fact the ICRC is not a Commercial Corporation with unlimited resources and funds, but I believe an Organisation manned largely by Volunteers.
Thus expecting them to come up with the Ransom demanded is a demonstration of the perpetrators appalling ignorance. The best the Kidnappers can expect is for the ICRC to pull out altogether . How is that suppose to draw the ‘hearts and minds’ of the people of Sulu to their cause . . . whatever it is?
Hi David Evans – I can’t argue with anything you said. The only thing I will point out is that so far, as far as I know, no ransom demand has been made. In fact, the kidnappers have maintained that they don’t want any ransom, but instead want jobs and such for the people of Sulu. Kidnapping, though, is certainly not an acceptable means to any end.
Can you comment on what is going on in General Santos? Is it safe to visit there and what advice would you have for someone going there?
Hi Jean – Honestly, I don’t know what you are talking about… I am unaware of anything unusual going on in GenSan. I go there often, and I follow the news there, and have heard of nothing out of the ordinary. Is it safe to go there? Sure, no problems there. My advice for those going there? Enjoy your trip!
If there is something going on that I have missed, please inform me.
hey bob
thans for the well desined and informative site
i wanna meet a girl in kapagatan in del norte part of mindanao,,i red about the island in many sites and just got confuse,,some say is safe and some as safenews say it’s top bad.
im going about two months from sweden and maybe tell to my girl to go davao or ozima to meet me,,she can’t get to cebu because to it needs money and i no met her before just by net and phone talking and i don’t know if it is a serious,as the guy who went to mindanao and it was a scams wrote him in three years.
she wanna study in lligan city and asked me to send her money to by a laptop of 33 thousand peso and i refused,nothing before i meet her in reality i told her.
what is the best choice?ozima or davao to meet her? and if u know anyting about her hometown kaopagatan so please tell me some adivices.
thanks
Matador, a friendly advice.. Much better if you will meet your girl in Davao City than in Ozamis.
Sulu is totally not a safe place for me. As a Filipino I will never try to go there.
Hi Philmor – I see no problems with Ozamiz. How do you connect Ozamiz with Sulu? They are very far from each other.
Yeah, you right Bob I think Ozamiz is safe too. But places like Basilan and Sulu? Goodlcuk
Hi Philmor – Yea, I agree. I’ve been to Ozamiz City – no problems there. I’ve been to Basilan and Tawi Tawi too, but not yet to Sulu. Right now, I’d advise against going to any of those three places, it’s not a good time for such travel.
..these kidnappings things especially in some parts of Mindanao is really sick, catching or killing those kidnappers wont solve these problems…unless there is social justice, equitable distribution of wealth and oppurtunities especially on these impoverised regions, these things will just go on, and on, and on…
Kidnapping is a way of life in Sulu. If I were you, I woud forego your future plans to visit the place …. you might end up another kidnap victim. Why not visit Tawi-Tawi. People there and very friendly and accomodating and majority of its professionals came from premier universities like UP, Silliman, Ateneo, etc. In the island municipality of Simunul, it has a 98% literacy rate. Maej can even come along with you to have a panoramic view of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi right from its provincial capitol. maej has friends there like Ms Florabel Ambas, a product of UP who now teaches PE at Batu-Batu National high School. Ms Santillan-Adjarail also teaches there before she moved in Samal Island.
Engr Jane Lacaba and Andreas Notter were already relaesed. But the AFP is still groping in the dark where to locate the remaining ICRC worker, Eugenio Vagni. I hope our military are resourceful enough to finally pinpoint Vagni and finally rescuwe him from the hands of thse damned bastards.
Hi Rex – I’ve already been to Tawi Tawi, and also to Basilan. I will visit Sulu when the time is right.
looking at these comments makes me feel a little uneasy. I will be coming to Mindanao very soon. I will be in Butuan and then Gingoog city. Is there extremist activity in those places? thanks
Hi danny – Gingoog and Butuan is very far from the areas where this took place. There is no reason to expect any problems.