Kidnappers who last Wednesday took a Chinese tourist hostage at a resort in Borneo made contact with her family this week.
Gao Huayuan was captured along with a Filipina resort worker, Marcy Dayawan, when armed kidnappers stormed the Singamata Resort in Sabah. Authorities believe that the Abu Sayyaf militant gang, who are suspected to be affiliated with "sub-commander" Murphy Ambang Ladjia, are responsible. Ladjia was reportedly orchestral in the 2000 kidnapping of 21 people from another resort in Sabah. All 21 hostages were released after weighty ransom sums were paid.
Philippine officials believe that the two women are also currently safe in this kidnapping case. Director-general of the security command in Sabah state, Mohammad Mentek, said “we hope they will be returned safely to their families as soon as possible”. He refused to comment when asked if ransom negotiations are underway.
Malaysian officials believe the captives are being held on Abu Sayyaf stronghold Jolo island in the southern Philippines. However, forces are also intensively searching remote southern islands including the Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu islands, known hotbeds of the gang. A naval blockade is in place for suspicious vessels.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, a Philippine armed forces spokesman, said there are "positive leads" in the search.
The Abu Sayyaf, which was reportedly set up in the 1990s with initial funds from Osama Bin Laden, have been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the Philippines. They are also reportedly involved in a whole host of criminal activity, including child sexual assault, drive-by-shooting, rape, drug trafficking, as well as kidnapping.
The gang are also believed to be holding other foreign hostages, including two Europeans abducted in Tawi-Tawi in 2012.
[Image via Flickr]
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