Manila – Philippine terror group Abu Sayyaf has threatened to behead another hostage if its demand of 12 million dollars is not met.
A report from Manila on Tuesday said that in a new video posted on the Internet, the group said the hostage would be killed on June 13 if the ransom is not paid.
It said it didn’t verify which one will be killed.
Restituto Padilla, military spokesman, said the terror group seized Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kijartan Sekkingstad and John Ridsdel in August 2015 in a beach resort in the Mindanao region in the southern part of the Philippines.
He said Ridsdel was killed last month.
Padilla said the terror group still aired its new demand even as the Armed Forces operations were still ongoing to rescue the hostages.
“We have not stopped. We will not cease until these bandits are held accountable for their actions.
It was reported that insurgency in the southern island of Mindanao has left as many as 200,000 people dead.
Meanwhile, Rodrigo Duterte, the incoming President who hails from Mindanao and has served more than two decades as mayor of Davao City, has pledged to revive peace talks with separatist groups after he takes office on June 30.
“We don’t go to war with our own people, but at one time I would ask them to release the hostages.’’
Duterte added that the abductions in Mindanao must stop because it is hurting Philippine’s image abroad. (Xinhua/NAN)
