Difference between revisions of "Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines"

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==[[Tawi-Tawi News]]==
==[[Tawi-Tawi News]]==
'''2 wildlife photographers kidnapped in Tawi-Tawi'''
'''British nationals warned: Don’t go to Mindanao'''
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/02/01/12/2-wildlife-photographers-kidnapped-tawi-tawi
*Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/23162-british-nationals-warned-dont-go-to-mindanao
*02/01/2012 8:14 PM | Updated as of 02/01/2012 8:53 PM
*Friday, February 03, 2012  
:by ABS-CBNnews.com
:by Jun Pisco




MANILA, Philippines – Two foreigners and their Filipino guide were kidnapped in Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-Tawi Tuesday afternoon, a military official said.


Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Philippine National Police (ARMM-PNP) regional director Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag identified the kidnapped victims as Elwold Horn from Holland, Lorenzo Vinciguerra from Switzerland and Ivan Sarenas from Davao City.
THE British Embassy in Manila yesterday issued a travel advisory warning its nationals about the threat of kidnapping in southern Philippines.


Latag said 5 suspects armed with M-203, two M-16 rifles and two .45 caliber pistols aboard a pump boat abducted the victims at Sitio Luuk, Barangay Parangan, Panglima Sugala town.
This, following the abduction of two European tourists along with their Filipino guide in Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday.


Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali said the municipal councilor of Panglima Sugala, Nestor Cabaluas, was also kidnapped but was able to escape.
The embassy cited in its travel advice the February 1 kidnapping of the two foreign nationals from Parangan in the township of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi island province and the abduction of an Australian citizen in Zamboanga Sibugay on December 5.


Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City, said soldiers have already been dispatched to rescue the kidnapped victims.
“There is also a threat from kidnapping in the Philippines particularly in the southern Philippines. Kidnapping could occur anywhere, including on coastal and island resorts and on dive boats and sites in the Sulu Sea. Foreigners have been targeted in rural, urban and coastal areas in the past,” according to the travel advice.


“Accordingly, the foreign nationals, together with Nestor Cabaluas, went at said place when the group, armed with M-16 rifles and caliber .45 pistols, grabbed the victims and dragged them to the shorelines where the watercraft was waiting while Cabaluas escaped,” said Cabangbang.
Abducted were Dutch Ewold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinziguerre, who were snatched with their guide by an armed group in the country’s southernmost Tawi-Tawi island province.


“After said abduction, the abductors fled towards Barangay Lambog, Panglima Sugala, same province. So far, this is the only information we received,” added Cabangbang.
The Dutch Embassy in Manila confirmed the kidnapping and said it was working on the case.


Sahali said the foreigners are wildlife photographers and have been in the island province for about two weeks.
The military said there were reports that the Swiss and Dutch tourists were wildlife photographers.


"They are here for bird watching." Sahali said. "They are amazed by the vast bird species that we have in the island."
British nationals, thus, are advised against all travel to south-west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of on-going terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.
 
Sahali said the visitors spent their time in the province searching for birds in the jungles and were set to return to Poblacion Bato-Bato in the afternoon.
 
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating the possible affiliation of the armed men with the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.
 
A rescue operation is ongoing.
 
“We have a Marine battalion there, the 4th Marine Battalion Landing Team. We have dispatched troops from the battalion to rescue the kidnapped foreigners,” said Cabangbang. -- With a report from Queenie Casimiro, ABS-CBN News Zamboanga


There have been a number of attacks against civilian targets.  Since November 2011, there have been at least 10 bombing incidents in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sulu, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga, killing a total of eight people and leaving 66 others wounded.


==[[:Category:Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery|Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
==[[:Category:Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery|Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==