Two More Kidnapped In Basilan Island; 9 Others Still Being Held Hostage

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8 Villagers Seized In Basilan Island

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 14, 2008) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels seized Saturday at least 8 people in the southern Philippine province of Basilan, reports said.

The rebels, led by Sattar Alih, abducted the villagers for a still unknown reason. Regional and provincial police and military officials declined to give any statement and their spokesman refused to answer phone calls made by journalists.

A local radio network Radyo Agong reported that the rebels seized the villagers in the town of Maluso. But the MILF in Basilan said the rebels only used the villagers to guide them to the town’s hinterlands and that all of the civilians are now back to their families.

Just last week, Abu Sayyaf militants have released a kidnapped Filipino nurse, Preciosa Feliciano, after four months in captivity in Basilan in exchange for P2 million ransom.

Feliciano, 24, was freed November 7 in Tipo-Tipo town. She was kidnapped July 7 in Zamboanga City and brought to Basilan by boat.

The Abu Sayyaf, headed by Puruji Indaman and Nur Hassan Jamiri, is still holding Millet Mendoza and Joed Anthony Pilangga. A fourth victim, Esperancita Hupida, was freed October 30 after private negotiators allegedly paid P2 million.Families of kidnapped victims on Friday appealed to President Gloria Arroyo to help secure the release of the hostages.

Pilanga, a university student, was snatched on October 17 outside their house in Zamboanga City. Kidnappers have demanded P20 million from Pilangga's family; P7 million for Mendoza's freedom.

The families of Pilangga and Mendoza said they cannot afford to pay ransom and have appealed to the kidnappers to free the hostages.

The Abu Sayyaf also kidnapped nine people in recent months in Basilan and sent letters to Christians living on the island threatening them with harm if they do not embrace Islam. The letters were signed by Indama and Jamiri. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Hands Over New Projects In Southern Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 01, 2007) – The United States on Monday handed over two infrastructure projects worth more than P150-million to Filipino officials in the southern island of Basilan.

American Ambassador Kristie Kenney led officials in the ceremony held in the towns of Maluso and Lantawan.

The projects, a port area in Maluso and a bridge in Lantawan towns, were constructed under the US Agency for International Development-Growth with Equity in Mindanao.

Security was tight throughout Kenney’s visit in Basilan, where Filipino security forces are still hunting down Abu Sayyaf militants, blamed for a recent attack that killed two soldiers and wounded over a dozen others in Basilan’s Tipo-Tipo town.

Kenney last week also handed over $3.7 million of development projects in Sulu province on top of the $190 million grant aid to Mindanao.

The $3.7 million will be used for the repair of the Jolo airport and the construction of a potable water system in Sulu.

Aside from the funding, Kenney also handed over to local officials the P27-million Jolo market road and several projects in the province, including computers for the Sulu National High School and aquaculture materials for former Moro rebels now engaged in lobster fattening. (Mindanao Examiner)

15 Patay Sa Diarrhea Outbreak!

BASILAN – Umabot na diumano sa 15 katao ang patay matapos na apat na barangay sa Basilan ang inulat na may diarrhea outbreak.

Mismong si Mayor Sakib Salajin, ng bayan ng Maluso, ang humihingi ngayon ng tulong sa pamahalaan upang masagip ang mga residente sa tiyak na kamatayan.

Hinihinalang maruming tubig ang dahilan ng outbreak ng sakit sa nasabing liblib na barangay.

Ngunit patuloy pa umanong biniberipika ng mga health officials ang naturang impormasyon.

Sinabi ni Dr. Jamlani Abubakar, ng provincial health office, na isang batang malnourished lamang ang nasawi dahil sa sakit, ngunit inamin naman nitong mahigit sa 100 katao ang apektado ng diarrhea.

“Inaalam pa naming yun reports kasi base sa aming records ay isang bata lamang na malnourished ang mortality at mahigit 100 naman ang affected nitong sakit,” wika pa ng doctor.

Maraming mga lugar sa Basilan ang walang malinis na patubig at marumi ang kapaligiran ng mga residente. Halos wala rin laman ang mga pagamutan sa lalawigan at maging gamut ay kulang rin.

Abala ngayon ang mga pulitiko sa pangangampanya at hindi halos makita ang mga ito. Marami sa kanila ang kung anu-ano ang ipinangako noon nakaraang halalan subalit lahat ng ito’y nanatiling nakapako.

Ang ibang mga pulitiko naman ay inaankin ang mga proyekto ng pamahalaan at ng Estados Unidos sa Basilan at pinalalabas na kanilang mga ginawa. (mindanaoexaminer.com)