Kidnapped Japanese in the Philippines makes contact

A police officer shows a passport of kidnapped Japanese citizen Toshio Ito which was recovered on the island of Pangutaran in Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines. Filipino authorities on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 claimed custody a letter written by the 63-year old Hiroshima-native, but officials declined to make public its contents, saying the Japanese embassy was informed about this. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 21, 2010) –Philippines authorities are holding a letter sent by a kidnapped Japanese man in the country’s restive southern region where security forces have mounted an operation to rescue the 63-year old Hiroshima native.

Police said Amer Katayama Mamaito, whose real name is Toshio Ito, was seized by 10 gunmen July 16 on a fishing village on the remote island of Pangutaran in Sulu archipelago.

His passport, issued January 31, 2000 at the Japanese embassy in Manila, was recovered on the island, but no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, although authorities were suspecting Abu Sayyaf militants with links to Jemaah Islamiya could be behind it.

The Abu Sayyaf last year kidnapped three international Red Cross workers – Two European and a Filipino – in Sulu and had been ransomed off. The group was also behind high-profile kidnapping cases, including 21 mostly Westerners in Malaysia’s Sipadan Island in 2000 and three US citizens in 2001 in Dos Palmas resort in Palawan island in the Philippines.

Security sources on Wednesday said a letter written by Ito is now in the custody of the authorities, but its contents were not made public and that the Japanese embassy had been notified about this.

Police and military officials did not give any statement about the progress of the rescue operation, saying, it could jeopardize the mission or put the safety of the Japanese at risk.

“All we can say is that there is an ongoing search and rescue operation,” said Marine Brigadier General Rustico Guerrero, commander of military forces in Sulu archipelago.

Police also put up a task force that will handle the investigation of the kidnapping of Ito under supervision of the crisis committee headed by Mayor Amilhamja Taib, of Pangutaran Island.

Authorities said Ito was engaged in gravel and sand business and also a treasure hunter who managed a small pharmacy on the island since 2004. He previously lived in Marawi and Zamboanga cities and had a pending court case in the town of Plaridel in Misamis Occidental province where he is facing charges of trespass to dwelling. (Mindanao Examiner)

Philippine security forces search for kidnapped Japanese man

Muslim children dive from a boat anchored off Pangutaran Island in the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines. Police and military say a Japanese citizen was abducted by 10 armed men on the island Friday, July 16, 2010. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 17, 2010) – Security forces continue to search for a Japanese national who was abducted by gunmen on a remote island in the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines, officials said Saturday.

The foreigner, who officials identified as Amer Katayama Mamaito, was taken by at least 10 armed men on Friday on a fishing village called Bangkilay on Pangutaran Island. “We have no reports yet about the Japanese, or where he was taken or who were behind the abduction, but the military is gathering more information about the incident," said Army First Lieutenant Steffani Cacho, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command.

Police forces were also gathering intelligence about the abduction.
“Our forces are still out and searching for the foreigner. We still have no reports about his whereabouts,” said Chief Inspector Amil Baanan, the deputy chief for operations of the Sulu police force.

He said little was known about the background of the Japanese, but other reports said Mamaito has been searching for treasure on the island, north of Sulu province.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction, but Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, the regional police chief, said they would form a task force to handle latest abduction. “We will activate the crisis management committee and form a task force to give the background of the victim and also to monitor the incident,” he said.

Last year, Abu Sayyaf militants abducted three international aid workers in Sulu and freed them one after the other in exchange for ransoms. It was unknown whether the Abu Sayyaf was involved in the latest abduction, but authorities have linked the group tied to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya to previous kidnappings for ransom in the restive southern region.

In 1998, militants also abducted two Hong Kong and a Malaysian fishery workers on an island in the Sulu archipelago and freed them months later after their employers paid huge ransoms. Two years later, the Abu Sayyaf also raided a Malaysian resort island off Sabah and kidnapped 10 European holidaymakers and 10 resort workers and released them in batches months later in exchange for millions of dollars in ransoms. (Mindanao Examiner)

Japanese national abducted in southern Philippines

Pangutaran group of islands in the Sulu archipelago in southern Philippines. (Wikipedia locator)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 16, 2010) – Philippine authorities said a Japanese man was abducted Friday by gunmen on a remote island in the Sulu archipelago.

Police and military said at least 10 armed men seized Amer Katayama Mamaito in the village of Bangkilay in Pangutaran Island. “No other details are yet available,” said Army First Lieutenant Steffani Cacho, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command.

Police forces were also sent to the island to gather more information about the foreigner.

“Our forces are still in the area and gathering more information about Amer Katayama Mamaito. We don’t if he is fisherman or what, but reports stated that he was abducted by ten armed men at around 1.30 in the morning on an island off Pangutaran,” said Chief Inspector Amil Baanan, the deputy chief for operations of the Sulu police force.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction, but Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, the regional police chief, said they would form a task force to handle the latest abduction. “We will activate the crisis management committee and form a task force to give the background of the victim and also to monitor the incident,” he said.

Last year, Abu Sayyaf militants abducted three international aid workers in Sulu and freed them one after the other in exchange for ransoms.

It was unknown whether the Abu Sayyaf was involved in the latest abduction, but authorities have linked the group, tied to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya, to previous kidnappings for ransom in the restive southern region. (Mindanao Examiner)

Soldiers Wounded In Sulu Island Clash

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 27, 2008) – At least two government soldiers were reported wounded in a clash Sunday with unidentified gunmen in the southern Philippine island of Pangutaran off Sulu province.

The Philippine military did not give any statement about the fighting and spokesmen and security officials ignored calls by journalists who were verifying the reports. Two Marine soldiers were injured in the clash on the island where pirates and Abu Sayyaf militants were believed to be hiding.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said there is an ongoing military operation in Pangutaran after local leaders sought the help of the military to run after pirates and criminals, including the Abu Sayyaf who were behind extortion activities and attacks on trawlers and small fishermen at sea.

"We are supporting the ongoing military and police operation aimed at neutralizing the lawless elements," Tan told the Mindanao Examiner.

Police said it would deploy more forces on the island to secure civilians and protect them from possible attacks by lawless groups. "We will send more police forces in Pangutaran and enforce law and order on the island," Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, the provincial police chief, said in a separate interview.

Kasim said he would replace the current police chief on the island.

The fighting occurred as politicians running for the August 11 elections in the Muslim autonomous region are campaigning. Sulu is one of five provinces that comprise the autonomous region.

Piracy is rampant in Sulu Sea where trawlers and ferries had been attacked in the past by gunmen. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: Wow Sulu 2008

A beach in Patikul town and the beautiful island of Panngutaran in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. The provincial governor, philanthropist Sakur Tan, says he is inviting Filipinos and foreign holidaymakers to visit Sulu and enjoy its rich culture and exotic culinary dishes as part of the Wow Sulu 2008 tourism program. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

2 Dead As Groups Clashed In South RP Over Jobs At Sea Port

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 17 Sept) – Two people were killed and four others wounded in a firefight between two Muslim groups on a remote island town of Pangutaran in southern Philippines, officials said Monday.

Officials said the firefight erupted at the weekend after an altercation between the two groups and that one of the dead was Darwin Nanoh, son of the town’s mayor, Ahmad Nanoh.

Nanoh’s son clashed with the group of Basit Ismael, who was appointed as new port collector by the Regional Ports Authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Ismael was also killed in the fighting, said Maj. Gen. Reuben Rafael, commander of military forces in the area.

“Apparently the group of Basit Ismael arrived in the town and wanted to take over immediately as port collector, a position held by Darwin Nanoh and there was an altercation which ended in a firefight,” Rafael told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said Ismael arrived with armed companions. “Both Darwin Nanoh and Basit Ismael are dead and four others wounded in this unnecessary incident,” he said.

It was unknown why Ismael brought armed companions. Rafael said troops were sent to Pangutaran to prevent further clashes between supporters of the two groups. (Mindanao Examiner)