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Philippine Government Offers 20,000 Dlrs for Clue of Kidnappers
The Philippine government Monday offered a 1-million-peso (20,000 US dollars) reward for any information leading to the "arrest or neutralization" of the armed men who kidnapped 20 tourists and staffs at a beach resort in western Philippines early Sunday.
The Departments of Interior and Local Government and Tourism jointly offered the reward to anyone who could give crucial leads for the capture of those behind the kidnapping incident, the Philippine Star online news reported.
Spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Edilberto Adan said that even with the reward the military is continuing its pursuit of the kidnappers suspected to be members of the Abu Sayyaf who raided the Dos Palmas resort near Palawan province capital Puerto Princesa, some 600 kilometers southwest of Manila.
Adan said armed forces personnel are trying to locate the kidnappers' bases because "we don't want them to reach villages where residents will give them sanctuary."
The kidnappers and hostages are believed to be somewhere on the sea southwest of Palawan. The kidnappers fled by speedboats with the hostages, including three American tourists.
Another report said the number of hostages was 23.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, condemning "this dastardly, criminal act of ruthless bandits," has ordered armed forces chief of staff Diomedio Villanueva to personally supervise the pursuit operations against the kidnappers.
The president, who ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the Abu Sayyafbandits and declared an "all-out war" on the terrorist group in early April, also assured the family of the hostages that her administration will do everything within its powers to ensure the safe rescue of their loved ones.
The 1,200-strong Abu Sayyaf drew international attention last year when it went on a kidnapping spree in which more than 40 foreigners and Filipinos were abducted from two neighboring Malaysia's island resorts and from Jolo island.
Except for Filipino Roland Ullah, all of the kidnap victims have either been released after huge ransoms were reportedly paid, or escaped or rescued in military operations against the rebels.
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